Frank Alfred Peet
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Frank was the son of Alfred and Henrietta Peet. He was born in 1896 (birth registered O/N/D Basford) and was 14 years old at the time of the 1911 Census; a notice of his death in the local paper in 1915 gave his age as 18½. However, the military records give Frank's date of birth as 1 November 1895 suggesting that he added a year to his age when he enlisted in 1914. His father, Alfred, was born in Calais, France, the son of William and Eliza Peet; all were British subjects. Alfred was, like his father, a lace maker. Alfred and his wife Henrietta had eight children of whom only seven were still living at the time of the 1911 Census. Seven children were named on the 1901 and 1911 Census: Ethel (b. 1893, A/M/J Basford), Laura (b. 1894, O/N/D Basford), Frank Alfred (b. 1896), Constance (birth registered 1899, J/F/M Basford), Fred Edward (birth registered 1901, J/F/M Nottingham), Mabel (b. 1903, A/M/J Nottingham) and George (b. 1905, J/A/S Nottingham). In 1901 the family was living at 2 Bangor Street, Nottingham, in the home of Alfred's widowed father, William. Alfred (38) and Henrietta (36) had five children; Ethel (7), Laura (6), Frank (4), Constance (2) and Fred (2 months). Also in the household was William's nephew, Edgar Glover (32), who was also a lace maker. By 1911 Alfred and Henrietta were living at 32 Constance Street, Nottingham. Ethel (17) was a lace finisher, Laura (16) a nurse girl, and Frank (14) a barber's assistant, while Constance (12), Fred (7), Mabel (7) and George (5) were still at school. At the time of Frank's death in 1915 the family was living at 151 Noel Street, Hyson Green, Nottingham. Alfred Peet died on 3 March 1936 aged 73 and Henrietta probably died on 25 June 1951 aged 88. The following are the probable dates of death of four of Frank's siblings: Ethel Peet on 24 August 1960 age 88, Fred Edward (b. 29 January 1901) in 1983 (registered September Nottingham) age 82, Mabel Peet (b. 29 April 1903) on 14 March 1970 age 66 and George (b. 1 July 1905) on 4 October 1988 age 83. Constance probably married Robert F Rosenthal in 1924 (marriage registered J/F/M Nottingham) and died in 1985 age 86 (b. 6 January 1899).
Frank enlisted in Nottingham on 6 August 1914 giving his date of birth as 1 November 1895 thereby adding a year to his actual age. Frank landed at Dunkirk as part of the Royal Naval Division on 19 September 1914 and returned to England on 13 October 1914. He left England on 28 February 1915 for Gallipoli and was killed in action in the following May. Frank has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial (MR 4). All Portsmouth Battalion casualties recorded by CWGC as dying on 6 May may have either been killed in the charge up Razor-Back Hill, Monash Valley, on 3 May or killed on the Anzac Beachhead between 28 April and 3 May (RND Casualties of the Great War). The RND Casualties of the Great War record gives Frank's date of death as 3 May while the notice of his death placed by his family in the local paper gives the date as 30 April.
“PEET. – Killed in action, April 30th, Private Frank A. Peet, R.M.L.I., aged 18½ years, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Peet, 151, Noel Street.”
