No. 16766, Private, Frank ARNOLD
Aged 22
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Frank was born in Hockwold cum Wilton, registered Thetford Q2-1894 [4B:367]. He was the third son of William and Eliza ARNOLD (née CURTIS) of Nursery Lane, Hockwold
cum Wilton. 1901 census...Aged 6, he was living at Nursery Lane, Hockwold with his father, team man William ARNOLD [49] born Hockwold; his mother Eliza [49] born West Row; brother Walter C [14], a horsekeeper, sister Katie B [9] and brother Reginald [4]. All these children were born in Hockwold. He was seemingly a regular attendee at school, by the certificate below (courtesy R Koshman in Canada, also for images of Frank and his brother Reginald)
1911 census... Aged 16 he was living in Hockwold, still with his parents and brother Reginald. All the men were farm labourers but now the births are recorded as in Wilton, not Hockwold. There had been 10 children but 2 had died by 1911, one being Mabel E who died in 1893 aged 3. It appears that younger brother Reginald was also killed in 1916, exactly 2 months later. see here. Older brother Walter had also served in the Norfolk Regiment and died of his wounds in Mesopotamia on 26th March 1916. see here. |
photo: Rebecca Burnett via Ancestry
| The 1st Norfolks were part of 5th Division. In March 1916, 5th Division took over a section of front line between St Laurent Blangy and the southern edge of Vimy Ridge, near Arras. On May 19th the Germans exploded a mine on the left of their line. Possibly Frank was one of the victims of this mine. Other details have yet to be discovered. Frank's death on 19th was the only one for the battalion in over a week. |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
