Francis William Baxter
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Father: Robert Baxter, born in 1853 in Nottingham and working as a chimney sweep. Mother: Sarah, born in 1854 at Sneinton, Nottingham and working as a lace hand. Brothers: Robert born 1876 and Albert, born 1886. Sisters: Sarah, born 1872 and Mary born in 1894 and working as a blouse hand. All the children were born in Nottingham, though six died in infancy. The family lived at 96 Union Road, Nottingham (1891), 9 Pomfret Street, Nottingham (1901) and 34 Derwent Street (1911) before finally moving to 3 Duke of Wellington Yard, Newark Street, Sneinton, Nottingham. According to the report of Frank's death in the local paper in 1915 his home was at Island Street, Nottingham.
Baxter was as a reservist and embarked to France, arriving on 11/11/1914. At the end of December 1914 the battalion took over a section of the front at Houplines and there followed a period of eighteen days in the trenches when it rained every day. As a result most trenches had up to two feet of water in them. Despite this and that it was a quiet sector occasional shelling and sniping continued and Baxter was killed in action on 19/01/1915. He was buried at Hiplines Communal Cemetery Extension (111.B.27.)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 5 February 1915: ‘Baxter. Killed in action January 19th, 1915, Private Frank W Baxter, beloved son of Robert and Sarah Baxter. He did his duty.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive. co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 5 February 1915, photograph with caption: ‘Pte. FW Baxter, 3rd Sherwood Foresters, 31, Island St., Nottingham, killed in action Jan. 19.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive. co.uk) In memoriam published 19th January 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “BAXTER. – In loving memory of Frank W. Baxter, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, killed in action January 19th, 1915. He died so that we might live. – From his sorrowing father, mother, brother Bob and Edith, and sister Sarah and Ted. “BAXTER. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Frank, who was killed in France by a shell January, 1915. We never knew what pain he had, we never saw him die; we only know he passed away without a chance to say good-bye. – From sister Pollie and Bill. “BAXTER. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Frank, who was killed in action 19th January, 1915. No useless coffin enclosed his breast, nor in sheet nor in shroud they bound him; but he lays like a warrior taking his rest, with his warrior's cloak around him. – From his loving sister May and Jack (in France).” Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
