Frank Bilbie
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Frank was the fifth and youngest son of James and Ellen Bilbie (née Browne/Brown). His father James was born in Clifton, Nottingham, in about 1853, the son of Samuel and Ann Bilbie, and baptised at Clifton St Mary in October 1853. His mother Ellen was born in Nottinghamshire in about 1853, the daughter of William and Sarah Browne/Brown and baptised at Cotgrave All Saints, Nottinghamshire, in December 1853. His parents were married at Cotgrave All Saints in July 1873 and had seven children, the eldest of whom was born before their marriage: Walter b. abt. 1871 bap. Cotgrave All Saints September 1871, Gertrude Elizabeth b. 1879 and Fred William b. 1881 who were born in Cotgrave and James William (William) b. 1884, Lewis b. 1889, Frank b. 1891 and Ivy Ann b. 1898 d. 1919 who were born in Clifton. Ellen and her son Walter were living in Cotgrave with her widowed father in 1871. She and her husband James, an agricultural labourer, and their two children, Walter and Gertrude, were recorded in her father's household on the 1881 Census. However, by 1891, James, now a gardener's labourer, his wife and four of their five children, Gertrude, Fred, William and Lewis, were living at 'Private House', Clifton. Their eldest son Walter has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census but he married Ellen Elizabeth Hopkins at Attenborough St Mary in 1893 and in 1901 they were living on South Street, Long Eaton, Derbyshire. James and Ellen with five of their children, Gertrude, William, Lewis, Frank and Ivy, were living on Village Street, Clifton, in 1901. Their second son Fred, a drayman, was living in Long Eaton with his brother Walter, a fitter's labourer, and his wife. James and Ellen were still living in Clifton in 1911 but only their youngest child, Ivy, was still living at home. Walter, a machine shaper, his wife Elizabeth and their son were still living in Long Eaton but were now at 24 Co-operative Street. Gertrude had married George Butler, a farm labourer, in 1907 and they and their daughter were living in Clifton. Fred, a vanman (bread deliveries) for the Co-operative Society, was living with his wife Gertrude (née Whittaker m. Long Eaton St Lawrence 1904) and their four children at 38 Co-operative Street, Long Eaton. James William, a motor lorry driver for the Co-operative Society, his wife Louisa (née Beeby m. Clifton St Mary 1905) and their daughter were living on Station Street, Long Eaton. Lewis was a chauffeur in the household of Henry Edward Thornton, a bank director, who lived at the Ropewalk, Nottingham. The youngest son Frank was a gardener and recorded on the census living at 'The Bothy', Clifton, along with the head gardener and another gardener. Frank was still living in Clifton when he enlisted in the army. His father James died in April 1928 and was buried in Clifton St Mary churchyard on 2 May. His mother Ellen died in 1945.
Private Frank Bilbie enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 1/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. Frank was killed in action on 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, but his death was not confirmed until June the following year. He is buried at Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St.Vaast, France (grave ref. 10.B.2). This history of the cemetery indicates that Frank's grave was brought in after the Armistice. CWGC - History of Canadian Cemetery No. 2 (extract): The village of Neuville-St Vaast is about 6km from the town of Arras. 'The cemetery was established by the Canadian Corps after the successful storming of Vimy Ridge on 9th April, 1917 and some of those buried in the cemetery fell in that battle or died of wounds received there, though the majority of the graves were made later for the burial of the dead recovered from surrounding battlefields and from isolated graves which were transferred into the cemetery over a period of years after the Armistice.' (www.cwgc.org) It is presumed that Frank died in the Robin Hoods' action at Gommecourt. Martin Middlebrook described the attack in 'The First Day of the Somme': 'When the Robin Hoods (1/7th Sherwoods) marched out of their village just on the eve of the Somme attack to march up to the line the normally fierce regimental sergeant major standing by the side of the road had tears streaming down his face.” 'After the 1/7th attacked Gommecourt Wood and suffered heavy casualties, the surviving remnants of the battalion became bogged down in No Man’s Land. They were harried by the Germans who continued to fire and throw grenades at them. Some were also captured. Many men, including some of the officers, including W E G Walker, ON, remained lying or hanging on the German wire in No Man’s Land until March 1917, when the Germans retreated to their new trench positions called the Hindenburg Line, before they could be buried. Many could not be recognised. 'In the 46th North Midland Division, which included the 1/7th Sherwoods at Gommecourt, the numbers of men returning from No Man’s Land by nightfall were so small that senior officers refused to believe that the remainder had been lost and wanted other men to go into No Man’s Land to look for them. The commanding officer of 1/7th, Major Hind, was among the missing. He was already dead. The 46th Division suffered 2,455 casualties on the 1st July in what was only a diversionary attack to the main offensive in the south.'
His brother Private Fred William Bilbie served in the 17th battalion Sherwood Foresters and was killed in action on 15th June 1916. He is buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg- L'Avoge, grave reference III.G.29. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam.’ 14 June 1917: ‘Bilbie. Killed in action, June 14th (sic), 1916, Corpl. Fred Bilbie, of Long Eaton, the beloved son of James and Ellen Bilbie, Clifton. Until the day break. Also Frank Bilbie, missing July 1st, 1916, now reported killed, the younger and beloved son. A noble life laid down. Professional cricketers.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam.’ 27 June 1917: ‘Bilbie. In loving memory of my dear brother, Pte. Frank Bilbie, Clifton, Nottingham, 7th Sherwoods, killed July 1st, 1916. The Gift of God is eternal life. Also beloved brother, Corpl. Fred Bilbie, of Long Eaton, 1/7 Sherwoods, killed June 14th (sic) 1914 (sic). At peace with God.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
