WW1 Casualty: Private 36499 Robert Arthur France - Private 36499 Robert Arthur France
Robert France, courtesy of the family
| Unit/Regiment |
1st/6th Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers |
| Date of Death |
25/03/1918 |
Age at Death |
40 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Pozieres Memorial
Panel 16 to 18 |
| CWGC Family Details (if shown) |
Son of Robert and Elizabeth France, of Prescot, Lancs.; husband of Margaret Elizabeth France, of Stoneleigh, Orrell, Wigan, Lancs |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
Robert France, a 61 year old Draper and Outfitter, lived at 16&18, Eccleston Street, Prescot, with his wife Elizabeth (54) and children Ada (26), Louisa (25), Robert (22) and Annie (20)
1911 Census -
Elizabeth Lloyd France was a 65 year old widow living at 24-26 Eccleston Street, Prescot with her children Ada (36), Louisa (35), Annie Gertrude (30) and Robert Arthur (32, a Draper). |
| Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations |
Birth registered Q1/1879, Prescot, Vol 8b, Page 714
Marriage to Margaret Elizabeth Pennington registered in Q3/1913, Wigan, Vol 8c, Page 125
Son Robert Leonard France born Prescot, 13 July 1914 |
| SDGW - Where Born |
Prescot, Lancs |
| Enlisted |
Prescot |
| How Died |
Died |
Theatre of War |
France & Flanders |
| Research Ref. No. |
P117 |
Service DetailsThe earliest record I can locate for Robert France is his entry on the 1881 census, aged 2. He is with his family at 16, Eccleston Street, Prescot, where his father was a Linen and Wollen Draper. Robert was a pupil at Prescot Grammar School, starting there in 1887.
The marriage of Robert France to Margaret Pennington in 1913.
Picture courtesy of the family
Without having access to his service records, it's impossible to say when Robert France joined the army. As his Medal Index Card (shown below) does not list a 1915 Star, nor does it include any 'Theatre of War', then we can tell that he did not go overseas before January 1916, and I suspect that he may have been conscripted into the Northumberland Fusiliers at some point in early 1916.
The letter to his son which is reproduced above, courtesy of the France family, is dated 3rd July 1917 and he is clearly in France at that point.
The 6th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers had been in France since April 1915 and were part of 149th brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. Robert will have joined them as part of a reinforcement draft, probably after their losses in The Somme in 1916.
Early in 1918, it was apparent that the Germans were about to launch a huge offensive, and this started on 23rd March. The first part of this offensive become known as the Battle of St Quentin, but the 6th Northumberland Fusiliers only became involved in the second phase, the 'actions at Somme Crossings'. (A Google search using this phrase will return significant amounts of information on the fighting).
The diary for the battalion states;- "The Bn being in support to the 66th Div, was ordered at 5pm to take up positions to cover the retirement of the Div at 9pm. This retirement was covered from high ground north of Barleux with enemy advancing in strength from south-easterly direction. At night the Bn, acting as rear-guard, fell back on the defensive zone of Asservillers."
The confusion of the actions over these days mean that it is hard to determine the fate of Pte France. He will have initially been posted as 'Missing' and at some point, having heard no word from the authorities that he may have been a Prisoner of War, he will have been 'presumed dead'.
His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial.
The 6th Battalion suffered heavily over the final week of March. Robert was one of 7 men of the battalion reported to have died on 25th March, and a total of 53 men were killed in the final week of that month.
The Parish Magazine of 29th May 1918 added 10 names to the existing 106 who had already fallen, including 'Pte. Robert Arthur France, 39, of Northumberland Fusiliers, has been missing since 23rd March. Married with one child". This is interesting because his family will have been advised that he was reported missing on the 23rd, and yet his date of death is officially recorded as 25th March.
The entry for Robert France in the original hard copy War Graves Commission register
The Register of Soldiers Effects listed Robert's widow, Margaret, as next of kin
When Probate was granted in 1919 (above), it would appear that Robert left his estate to his father-in-law
Robert France's Medal Index Card with the notation 'Pres. Dead'
Private France's inscription on the Pozieres memorial
It is worthy of note that Robert Arthur France's son, Robert Leonard France, born in 1914, went on to become a highly decorated officer in the Second World War.
A picture of Robert Leonard France in uniform, kindly provided by his family
Serving with the Royal Engineers, he was awarded the Military Cross for actions at the battle of El Alamein in 1943 and then a Bar to the Military Cross for action in Italy in 1945. Citations for these awards are shown below. He was also awarded the CBE in the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Robert's first Military Cross Citation
(c) The National Archives
Robert's second Military Cross Citation
(c) The National Archives
Robert is commemorated on the Grammar School Roll of Honour
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