Pte 16380 Frank Stananought Lewis

• Age: 23
• From: Aigburth
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: Mem.5

16380 Private Frank Stananought LEWIS, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Frank Stananought Lewis was born in Liverpool on 04th May 1893, and was baptised at St Anne’s Church, Aigburth, on 06^th August 1893. He was the 6^th of seven sons born to John Lewis, and his wife Mary Jane (nee Stananought) who were married on the 9th April 1876 at St Silas, Toxteth. John was a 22 year old plumber of 10 Collins St, father John, whilst Mary was also aged 22 of 10 Aigburth Vale, father Henry. He was educated at Aigburth Vale National School. He also maintained an association with St Anne's Church and for some years was a chorister and a member of the Church Lads' Brigade.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 19 Aigburth Vale, Liverpool.

His father John is aged 47, born in Liverpool in 1854 and employed as a master plumber, whilst his mother, Mary Jane, is aged 47 with no occupation listed and was also born in Liverpool. At the time of the Census they had nine children living with them;  William aged 22, born 1879 is a plumber, John aged 20, born 1881 is a postman, Mary J. S. aged 17, born 1884 is a domestic, George aged 15, born 1886 is an apprentice plumber, Thomas H. aged 12, born 1889, Richard S. aged 10, born 1891, Frank S. aged 8, born 1893, Doris E. aged 5, born 1896 and Eric S aged 2, born 1899. Their children were all born in Liverpool.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 1 Green Cottages, Garston, Liverpool. 

Frank is now aged 17 and a junior clerk for an architect. His father John is now aged 57, and is still employed as a plumber, his mother Mary Jane is aged 57, with no occupation listed. They have been married for thirty four years and have had ten children of which one had died. Those children still in the household are listed as: Mary Jane Stananought is aged 27 with no occupation listed, George Lewis is aged 25 and is a plumber, Thomas Henry aged 22, is a plumber’s clerk, Richard Stananought Lewis is aged 20 and is a junior clerk for a quantity surveyor, Doris Eveline aged 15 and Eric Stananought Lewis is aged 12.

Frank Lewis enlisted in Liverpool on 31st August 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16380. He gave his age as 21 years and 120 days, and his occupation as a clerk with Messrs Willink and Thicknesse, architects of 14 Castle Street, Liverpool, and his next of kin as his father of 19 Aigburth Vale. He was described as being 5' 3" tall, weighed 117lbs, 34” chest, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. His NOK was father John, 19 Aigburth Vale. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He sailed to France with his Battalion on 7th November 1915 on board the SS Invicta.

Frank was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, during the attack at Montauban, aged 23 years.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.   

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

Liverpool Echo 4th July August 1917 

LOST AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. 

LEWIS —In loving memory of Frank Stananought Lewis, K.L.R. (l8th Pals), killed action July 1, 1916. (Love and remembrance last for ever.)— Father, Mother, and Family, 19, Aigburth-vale, Liverpool. 

He was buried originally in Vernon Street Cemetery, Carnoy, but the location of his remains was lost, probably through enemy shelling. He is now commemorated on the war memorial in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, France.

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:

VERNON STREET CEMETERY, CARNOY, in the valley between Carnoy and Maricourt, at a place called "Squeak Forward Position". 110 soldiers who died in July-October 1916 were buried here by the 21st Infantry Brigade and other units.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

Frank is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Garston Roll of Honour

Garston War Memorial, Garston

St Anne Parish Church, Aigburth Road, Liverpool

Aigburth Peoples Hall, Aigburth Vale, Liverpool

Soldiers Effects and the Pensions of both Frank and Eric to mother Mary Jane. The only personal effect returned to his father was 1 photo.

Frank's loss was sadly not the only one for the family to endure as his younger brother Eric Stananought Lewis, who  enlisted in the 1/7^th King’s as Private 88816 died of wounds on 19^th May 1918, aged 19 years. Eric now rests at Etaples Cemetery, France LXVIII B 25.

Liverpool Echo 4th June August 1918 

CONDOLENCE.  

LEWIS—Mr. and Mrs. LEWIS and Family wish thank all friends for kind expressions of sympathy in the sad loss of their youngest son, ERIC STANANOUGHT.—I9, Aigburth-vale, Liverpool. 

He is, like Frank, also remembered on the Garston Roll of Honour Garston War Memorial , Garston, and on the war memorial in St Anne Parish Church, Aigburth Road, Liverpool.

As of May 1919 their siblings were William Lewis, John Lewis, Thomas Henry Lewis, George Lewis, Richard Lewis, Mary Jane Stananought George, and Doris Evelyn Lewis. 

Mother died aged 77 in 1931 and the father died aged 81 in 1934. 

We currently have no further information on Frank Stananought Lewis, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.