Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Births Dec 1884  French Reginald Faversham 2a 873
 
Husband of Gladys Frances French of 56 Atfield Street, Freemantle, Western Australia.

At the time of the 1901 census, the French family resided at New House Farm, Lynsted, Sittingbourne, Kent. Head of the house was 39 year old Lynsted native, James French (senior), who was a Farmer and Butcher employing staff.

Reginald was recorded as being employed as a 15 year old Butcher’s Assistant, which was probably whilst working for his father.

Reginald enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Perth, Western Australia on 3 February 1916, at which time he stated that he was 31 years and 5 months old, was a Butcher, and that he had formerly served in the Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles.

Reginald sailed for England from Freemantle, Western Australia on 8 July 1916, aboard the 5849 ton Australian troopship H.M.A.T. Seang Bee (A48), in the 13 Reinforcements, 28th Battalion, Australian Infantry, A.I.F. and arrived at Plymouth on 9 September 1916.

He left Folkestone, Kent for France on 16 November 1916, aboard the 5,967 ton SS Victoria. He was at the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot Etaples, Pas de Calais, France until being sent to Segregation Camp on 12 December 1916, prior to joining his battalion in the field on 30 December 1916. After serving with his battalion in and out of the trenches, on 1 June 1917, Reginald was hospitalised in France suffering with Trench Foot. He was evacuated to England for medical treatment on 25 June 1917 aboard the Hospital Ship “Warilda.” The day after arriving in England, Reginald was admitted as patient at the Military Hospital, Richmond, Surrey. Following his treatment at Richmond, Frederick was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, and on being discharged he went to No.2 Command Depot, Weymouth, Dorset. After leaving Weymouth, Reginald was posted to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Warminster, Wiltshire. Having returned to serve in France on 20 October 1917, Reginald was promoted  Lance Corporal on 3 March 1918. He was wounded and posted as missing at Morlancourt, Somme, France on 10 July 1918, following a minor engagement by his battalion. It was at Longbridge Deverill, Warminster, Wiltshire after the Great War, that 5788, Sergeant, J.S. Wiggins wrote and signed the following statement in the presence of Captain A.G. Craig:-“I was T/C.S.M. of “C” Company of my Battalion, and L/Cpl French was attached to this Company. On the evening of the 10th day of June 1918, when the Battalion was engaged in a minor attack operation, L/Cpl French was reported to me by his platoon sergeant (who has since been killed) as being wounded. This platoon sergeant told me that French’s wound was a slight one, and that he was being evacuated. This was the general opinion of all who saw French, but I did not see him myself and cannot give definite information.” Other former members of Reginald’s company made similar statements at different times, from Australia and England, all of which tended to suggest that Reginald’s wound had not been serious, and that he was last seen sitting in a Sap. Additional enquires were made in Germany by the Australian Red Cross, in the hope that he had been a prisoner of war, but all to no avail. Following a Court of Enquiry which was conducted on 12 December 1918, on 23 January 1919, the Australian military authorities decided that for official purposes, it was to be assumed that Reginald had died on 10 June 1918.  The 28th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force was raised in April 1915 at Black Boy Hill Camp for service overseas. The battalion served at Gallipoli, and in both France and Belgium.

[The current Other Ranks Mess is named after a member of the 28th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force; he was Lieutenant Alfred Edward Gaby V.C. (1892-1918), who won the Victoria Cross at Villers Bretonneux, Somme, France on 8 August 1918. Regrettably, Alfred was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, and he is rest at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnières, Somme, France, Plot V. Row E. Grave14.]

Reginald’s battalion served until the end of the Great War and was disbanded on 20 May 1919, by which time it had suffered 787 deaths and 2241 personnel wounded, which included many of members of Reginald’s battalion who had been gassed.

His younger brother, Rifleman James French, Service Number 553284 also fell. [14 April 1917] He was 23 and was serving with the 1/16th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment, (Queen’s Westminster Rifles). Formerly Rifleman, 6822, 16th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment, (Queen’s Westminster Rifles).

Born Lynsted, Sittingbourne, Kent.

Enlisted Sittingbourne, Kent.

He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 10.

They were sons of Jane French (née Johnson) of New House Farm, Teynham, Sittingbourne, Kent, and of the late James French J.P.

The brothers are remembered on the Lynsted War Memorial which is an impressive white marble plaque commemorating most of the Lynsted Great War casualties, and is located in the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul. It was erected in 1921. On the Great War memorial plaque in the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Lynsted, Reginald’s date of death is shown as having occurred on 14 June 1918.

He is also commemorated on the Australian National War Memorial, Campbell, Australian Capital Territory 2612. Panel 113.