Frank Hall

Lance-Sergt Frank Hall Worksop Guardian 20 April 1917 Another Worksop soldier to fall in the recent fighting is Lance-Sergt Frank Hall, 2/8th Sherwood Foresters, information of whose death was received this week. The deceased was the elder son of Mr William Hall, formerly of 19 Langley Street, where he lived for a considerable time, his mother now residing in Lancashire with her daughter. The deceased soldier was a bricklayer by trade and worked with Mr J W Chadwick and whilst following his employment joined the Ambulance Brigade, with which before the war he took a full course of instruction. At the outbreak of hostilities, he was anxious to join the Army and was rejected two or three times but persevering he was at last accepted. He had gone through some training when the Dublin Rebellion broke out and then he was sent to the Irish capital with his regiment incluing the late Lieut. Duffen. Here he distinguished himself and for a brave act was made a Lance-Corpl. At the end of the rebellion he went through a course of musketry training and recently was sent out to France, his death taking place on Good Friday. No particulars of how he fell are yet to hand, but something may be gathered from the fact that the deceased was of a fearless nature, possessing the true soldier’s spirit. He was a little over 20 years of age. With his younger brother, who has now joined the Congregational Church Sunday School and a regular attender. Much sympathy is expressed with his bereaved relatives. Lance-Sergt Frank Hall Worksop Guardian 27 April 1917 Further particulars are to hand with regard to the death of Lce-Corpl Frank Hall of the 2/8th Sherwood Foresters, son of Mr Wm Hall, bricklayer, Worksop, which was reported in our last issue. Mrs Hall, who is residing with her daughter in Liverpool, has received letters from her deceased son’s Captain and the Chaplain of the Regiment. Captain J H C Wooley,l Commanding 2/8th Co., which did such good in the Dublin rebellion and where deceased got his first stripe, in his letter refers to deceased as Lance-Sergeant, and the Chaplain as ‘Sergeant F Hall’, so that he had evidently got promotion since his last communication home. Captain Wolley writes:- “B.E.F. April 13th 1917, Dear Mrs Hall, I deeply regret to have to tell you that your son, Lce-Sergt F Hall was killed in action on Good Friday night whilst gallantly doing his duty in an attack. He had been in my company for a long time and I was very fond of him. He also showed promise as a soldier and he will be much missed. It is impossible to express in words the sympathy one feels for you in your sad loss, but may God comfort you and help you to bear it, Yours truly J H C Wooley, Capt.” The Rev. Stanley Hide, Chaplain in his letter gives the early hours of Saturday morning as the time that Hall was killed, but this little discrepancy might easily occur. He writes under date April 14th 1917:- “Dear Mrs Hall, I am very sorry to tell you that your son, Sergt F Hall was killed in action in the early hours of Saturday last, Easter even, an I should like to Express my sympathy with you in your loss. At the same time, I know you will be proud that he died so gallantly. I buried him where he fell on Tuesday last, with some of his comrades, and a cross is being erected over his grave. He is very highly spoken of by both officers and men, and is greatly missed. May God bless and comfort you, and grant him rest, Yours, very truly, Stanley Hide, Chaplain, C of E

CWG additional information:- Son of Mrs. E. Hall, of 94, Low Town St., Worksop, Notts Commemorated on the Vadencourt British Cemetery Maissemy, France. Research by Colin Dannatt