Frank Austin Brackenbury
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frank was born in Fenton on 9th December 1897 and was baptised in St Peters Church Sturton Le Steeple on 1st May 1898. He was the son of Austin a general farm labourer and Clara Brackenbury (nee Hartley) he had 9 siblings. Clara died in 1900 and Austin left as a widow to bring up such a large family. In the 1901 census Frank is living with his widowed father and 5 siblings in Fenton. Further tragedy was to strike the family during the Great War. Austin would have been proud as two of his sons Frank and William joined up to fight for 'King and Country' but would soon be devastated as both were to die before the war's end.
Served in "Y" 50th Trench Mortar Bty Royal Field Artillery. Soldiers of the Great War records show that he lived in Retford area and enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne. He was taken prisoner of war while on the Western Front and died while in captivity in Germany on 4th November 1918 just a week before the Armistice He is buried in Robertmont British cemetery, Leige, Belgium.
His elder brother William Brackenbury also served in the Great War and was killed in action on 2nd September 1918. CWGC - Son of Austin Brackenbury of South Leverton, Retford, Notts. Additional information from Elaine Brackenbury
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