Francis Charles Randall
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Francis Charles Randall was the son of John and Caroline Maria Randall (née Firman) who were married at Sneinton St Luke in September 1885. John and Caroline had five sons, two of whom died in infancy: John William b.1886, Benjamin Harold b.1888 d. 1891 (J/F/M), Francis Charles birth registered 1891 (J/F/M), Wallace Bertrude b.1892 and George Claud Henry b. 1902 d. 1902 (J/A/S). John, Benjamin, Francis and Wallace were baptised at Radford St Peter, Francis on 8 March 1891. The baptismal records gave the family's address in 1886 as 6 St Peter Street, 19 Croft Place in 1888. By the time of the 1891 Census they had moved to 23 Citadel Street and were still living at the same address when Wallace was baptised the following year. By 1901 John, a general labourer, and Caroline were living at 360 Denman Street, Radford, with their three surviving sons, John a joiner's labourer, Francis and Wallace, who were school age. Caroline Maria died at Nottingham in 1902 (O/N/D) aged 39. John Randall then married Rosanah (Rosa or Rose) Evangeline Lloyd at Nottingham in 1905. His wife was probably a widow as on the 1911 Census, when she and John had been married for six years, it was recorded that she had had seven children, four of whom had died. John, a scavenger employed by Nottingham Corporation, Rosa and John's youngest son, Wallace, a carter, were living at 11 Graham Street, Radford, in 1911. John William had married Georgiana Adophiene Brown in 1909 and they and their daughter were living in Beeston, Nottingham. John was a police constable (Notts County Council). Francis had joined the army and was serving as a drummer with the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards based at Wellington Barracks, London. The announcement of Francis's death published in the Nottingham Evening Post in July 1915 gave his address as 51 Trafalgar Road, Radford. His father John was still living there when he died in December 1924 aged 64. Francis's brother Wallace probably served with the 20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (33830 Private). He served overseas. Wallace was discharged aged 26 on 5 December 1918 (Para 2a 392 (xvi)) and was awarded a Silver Badge (B64728) on 10 January 1919.
1st Battalion Grenadier Guards He enlisted at Nottingham. At the time of the 1911 census he was a Drummer serving in London (Wellington Barracks) with the 1st Bn. Grenadier Guards. The Battalion was in Warley Barracks, Essex, on the outbreak of war and in September 1914 came under command of 20th Brigade, 7 Division. The following month on 7 October it landed at Zeebrugge and took part in the First Battle of Ypres (19 October-22 November) when three Guards Brigades helped prevent the German advance, although the Guards suffered heavy casualties. Francis Charles was initially reported missing in action on 29 October 1914; his death on that date was not confirmed until the following year. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (extract): 'The Menin Gate is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge.' (www.cwgc.org)
British Red Cross & Order of St John Enquiry List, Wounded & Missing, 1914-1919: 12768 L/Cpl FC Randall Grenadier Guards. Reported missing or wounded 29 October 1914. Enquiry date 18 May 1915. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour,’ 23 July 1915: ‘Randall. Killed in action between 20th and 26th October, 1914, Lance-Corpl. FC Randall, 1st Batt. Grenadier Guards, of 51, Trafalgar-street, Radford. He did his duty. Father and Mother.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: legatee father John. There are two records on the Register, one in which he was recorded as 'Missing 29 October presumed dead' and the other as 'KIA [killed in action] 29 October 1914, 8 June 1915 [presumably the date his death was confirmed].' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths,’ 5 & 6 December 1924: Randall. On December 4th, 51 Trafalgar-street, John, the beloved husband of Rose Randall. Deeply mourned. Sorrowing wife and family. Interment General Cemetery, 2.30pm Monday.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
