FRANK CARTWRIGHT
11 September 1890 - 22 March 1918
At School 1904 - 1905
2nd Lieut 19th attd 17th Manchester Regt
Frank was born on 11 September 1890 in Old Trafford, Manchester. In 1901, aged 10, he was living at 8 Premier Street, Brooks Bar, Stretford, with father William, a buyer of cotton piece goods for a Shipping Merchant, mother Alice, younger brother William and sister Doris. Frank entered School, aged 13, in January 1904 from Manchester Cathedral, possibly a choir school. He excelled at cricket, his bowling for the Under 14 XI being described as "deadly". In 1905 he was awarded a 2nd XI cricket cap - "Has made some runs when wanted, A good change bowler." He was also reasonably academic, winning a certificate for good work in The Lower Modern Fourth. To cap his athletic achievement he came 3rd in the three-legged race in the 1905 sports. By 1911 the family had moved to 28 Darley Road, Whalley Range, Manchester and Frank, aged 20, was working as an insurance clerk with the Alliance Insurance Company in Manchester.
On 17th December 1914 Frank enlisted, in Manchester, in the 20th Royal Fusiliers, Public Schools Battalion, Height 5 ft 7½ inches, Girth 35 inches, with distinctive marks of a mole below his left ear and scar below shoulder. Frank was No. 4602, amongst the earliest of recruits. On 18th February 1915 Frank took part in the Battalion Recruits Concert at the Unionist Club, Leatherhead, described as an "Accompanist", possibly as a result of choir school training. After training, the Battalion proceeded to France on 14th November 1915.
Frank was promoted to Sergeant and took part in the fighting at High Wood in July 1916, which tolled so many casualties. Frank was recommended for a commission and and returned to England in February 1917. After a period of training in Oxford he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant with the 19th Manchesters and joined his new Battalion in France in September 1917. According to the Hulmeian Magazine he was attached to the 17th Battalion in March 1918 when the German Army mounted their massive assault on the their trenches near St Quentin.
Before the attack on 21st March the 17th had been in reserve at Savy and Vaux and had subsequently been brought into defence of the line between Roupy and Savy. The line was held on 21st March by the use of well directed artillery and Lewis Gun fire. On 22nd March the Germans again attacked with a heavy bombardment all along the front defended by the 17th. The line held until late afternoon but force of numbers then overran the positions.
Frank was reported missing on 22nd March 1918 and subsequently presumed killed on that date. His father received an indication from a fellow officer that Frank had been taken prisoner and requested the War Office to delay notification of death. However in October 1918 his identity disc was sent in by a Base Depot through S. I. Central Office for Effects, His body was subsequently recovered and buried in Grand-Sericourt British Cemetery, a cemetery made in 1920 - 1926 by the concentration of graves from the battlefields and nearby burial grounds. Probate was granted to William Hibbert Cartwright, father, textile buyer, effects £365.17s.9d.