Post by PeterZed on Jan 1, 2010 21:23:38 GMT
I have recently begun to research the history behind the names on our local War Memorial and the first name that I have looked into combined my interest for all those connected with "The Queen's Own" Royal West Kent Regiment and the Royal Flying Corps.
Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant
I discovered that following his commission into "The Queen’s Own" Royal West Kent Regiment on the 19th October 1915, Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant was seconded into the Royal Flying Corps the same week.
The only son of Francis and Ethelind Torfrida Marchant of Woodside, Hayes Common, Keston, Kent, Francis was born on the 4th March 1897 in Chelsea and was educated at Eton and Sandhurst.
Francis qualified as a pilot on the 22nd November 1915 at the Military School Farnborough and he was sent to France on the 31st March 1916 as a member of 3 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.
At 11am on the 22nd October 1916 while he was piloting a Morane-Saulnier Parasol L, Serial Number A247 with 2nd Lieutenant Cecil Collins Hann as his observer, having taken off from the Squadron’s base at Lahoussoye, Francis was attacked by a Fokker Eindecker piloted by Oberleutnant Hans Berr of Jasta 5 over Sailly in the Somme. Their machine was brought down.
Francis is buried next to 2nd Lieutenant Hann at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe – He was 19 years old.
I have been amazed how much I was able to discover in a relatively short period of time - What a difference the Internet has made, together with help from Nigel and Ancestry.co.uk and some information received from the Great War Forum, I have been able to complete the first of a total of eighteen names who are commemorated on the Memorial.
Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant
I discovered that following his commission into "The Queen’s Own" Royal West Kent Regiment on the 19th October 1915, Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant was seconded into the Royal Flying Corps the same week.
The only son of Francis and Ethelind Torfrida Marchant of Woodside, Hayes Common, Keston, Kent, Francis was born on the 4th March 1897 in Chelsea and was educated at Eton and Sandhurst.
Francis qualified as a pilot on the 22nd November 1915 at the Military School Farnborough and he was sent to France on the 31st March 1916 as a member of 3 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.
At 11am on the 22nd October 1916 while he was piloting a Morane-Saulnier Parasol L, Serial Number A247 with 2nd Lieutenant Cecil Collins Hann as his observer, having taken off from the Squadron’s base at Lahoussoye, Francis was attacked by a Fokker Eindecker piloted by Oberleutnant Hans Berr of Jasta 5 over Sailly in the Somme. Their machine was brought down.
Francis is buried next to 2nd Lieutenant Hann at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe – He was 19 years old.
I have been amazed how much I was able to discover in a relatively short period of time - What a difference the Internet has made, together with help from Nigel and Ancestry.co.uk and some information received from the Great War Forum, I have been able to complete the first of a total of eighteen names who are commemorated on the Memorial.
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