He signed up as Frank King but his name was Frank
Charlton . He was born on 16 November 1879 in Boston, Lincolnshire and
died on 2 April 1917 at Prestwich, Hospital Manchester.
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MANCHESTER SOUTHERN CEMETERY
United Kingdom
Lancashire
FRANK ( KING ) CHARLTON
Rank:Regimental Quartermaster Serjeant
Service No:7715
Date of Death:02/04/1917
Age:39
Regiment/Service:Lancashire Fusiliers
2nd Bn.
Grave Reference Q. 404 (Screen Wall).
MANCHESTER SOUTHERN CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Jane Hilton Charlton, of 174, Cecil St., Moss Side, Manchester,
and the late Joseph Charlton. Born at Boston. Served in the South
African Campaign.
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According to "the small book" (Army form
B50) see below,
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Frank's small book
(Army form B50)
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He enlisted in Bury, Lancashire on the 26 January (the year was not recorded)
at the age of 20 years and two months. He joined for seven years in the
Army and five years in the reserve.
His trade or calling was entered as Clerk.
His last permanent residence was recorded as 41 Toxteth Street, Fairfield.
This was later changed to 5 Alpha Street.
He was 5'7 3/4" tall, Fresh complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair,
scar on right eyebrow.
Church of England.
Under next of kin, no father is recorded. Mother - (Jane) Hilton Charlton.
Brothers and sisters - William, Margaret, Ethel and Dorothy.
The latest unchanged address for his family was 275 Great Western Street,
Whitworth Park, Rusholme. Previous addresses are - 5 Alpha Street, 55
Toxteth Street, Fairfield, Near Manchester, Lancashire.
He was appointed Lance Corporal 14 February 1900, promoted to Corporal
18 August 1901, appointed OR Clerk 20 February 1902, appointed Lance Sergeant
17 December 1902, promoted to Serjeant 1 May 1904, appointed Serjeant
Orderly Room Clerk (ORC) 1 May 1904.
His services abroad were recorded as follows - embarked Southampton 7
November 1901 to disembarked South Africa 27 November 1901, embarked South
Africa 7 October 1902, disembarked Southampton 28 October 1902.
He was awarded the Queens medal for services in South Africa 1901/02
Medal record
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Pension record
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I have typed transcriptions of Frank's account of
the battles and superimposed them on the hand written versions.
I think Frank may have been responsible for writing the company diary
as his accounts of the Battle of the Aisne and Crossing the Marne were
written on pages from a carbon paper duplicate book. Would this task normally
be done by one NCO or would other soldiers have been given this task as
well?
I have not attached any of Frank's letters to this email as they are
mainly about his family although there are some references to his military
activities. I still need to put them in order. I have found your website
very useful in this respect but I still have more to do. I think the
accounts of the battles may be of more general interest.
Frank had a friend who he refers to in his letters only as O'Malley.
I think this was Lance Corporal Frank O'Malley No. 5856 who was in the
2nd Bn in South Africa and then left the regiment. At the outbreak of
the war I think he rejoined with the 5th Bn. From Frank's letters it
seems that they did not meet up again. I think that after the first
battle of Ypres Frank was transferred to the 3rd Echelon as QMS and
then RQMS.
Paul Nettleton
Frank's Hand written account
of the
Crossing of the Marne
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Frank's Hand written account
of the
Crossing of the Aisne
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Sent in by Paul Nettleton
Frank (Charlton) King was his Great Uncle Frank
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