Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Towe, a framework knitter, born 1836 in Thurmaston, Leicestershire and baptised on the 3rd July 1836 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston (son of William Toe, 1809-1887 and Mary Kirk, 1817-1871) and his wife Hannah Towe (nee Bailey, married in the April quarter of 1865 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district), a dressmaker, born in the July quarter of 1842 in Barrow upon Soar and baptised on the 9th August 1842 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar (daughter of Henry Bailey, 1817 and Elizabeth Freeman, 1819). Francis was born in the July quarter of 1882 in Barrow upon Soar and baptised on the 1st April 1888 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, his siblings were, Esther Bailey, an elastic web worker, born in the January quarter of 1865, Charles William, a schoolboy, born 30th July 1869 and baptised on the 10th July 1870 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, Henry, a schoolboy, born 18th July 1873 and baptised on the 28th July 1873 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, Elizabeth, a schoolgirl, born in the January quarter of 1875 and baptised on the 5th September 1875 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, Isabella, born on the 25th February 1879 and baptised on the 13th April 1879 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar and John, born in the July quarter of 1880 and baptised on the 17th April 1881 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, all his siblings were born in Barrow upon Soar, in April 1881 the family home was at North Street, Barrow upon Soar. In April 1891 Francis was absent from the family home at North Street, Barrow upon Soar, residing there was his mother, a midwife and siblings, Elizabeth, an elastic trade weaver, Isabella, a schoolgirl and Florence Selina, a schoolgirl born on the 29th May 1887 in Barrow upon Soar and baptised on the 1st April 1888 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar. In April 1901 Francis remained absent from the family home at North Street, Barrow upon Soar, residing there was his mother, a midwife and his siblings, Isabella, an elastic trade weaver and Florence, an elastic trade weaver, also residing in the family home was his nephew, George William Harry Jacques, born in the July quarter of 1895 in Barrow upon Soar. Francis’s mother died aged 63 years in the July quarter of 1907 in Barrow upon Soar and his father died aged 75 years in the July quarter of 1912, in Barrow upon Soar. In April 1911 Francis was employed as a quarry worker and was residing in the family home at Waterworks Road, Bardon Hill, Leicestershire together with his wife Fanny Jane Towe (nee Collis, married on the 29th January 1910 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar), born 8th May 1880 in Wymeswold, Leicestershire and baptised on the 13th June 1880 in St. Mary’s Church, Wymeswold (daughter of Mark Collis, 1855 and Harriet Eliza Roe, 1852). They had two children, Francis, born on the 30th July 1911 and baptised on the 28th May 1916 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar and Edith, born on the 17th February 1914 and baptised on the 28th May 1916 in Holy Trinity Church, Barrow upon Soar, both children were born in Barrow upon Soar. In 1939 Francis’s widow Fanny, was residing at 185, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar, together with their daughter Edith, a hosiery trade linker.
FAMILY NOTE: Francis’s surname was officially recorded at birth as Towe, but was variously shown as Tow and Toe. His Christian name was recorded as Frances, but this would probably be an error of spelling at the time of registration. Francis’s father William, appears to have resided in various lodgings in Leicestershire and does not appear on the census returns for the family home in 1891 or 1901, Francis is also absent in the same two census returns, however the assumption is that in 1901 he was serving as a Regular soldier with the Leicestershire Regiment, hence his early entry into the theatre of war in France in early November 1914 as a mobilized Army Reservist.
Francis’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Loughborough into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 5632.
Discharged. To Army Reserve. Date not known.
Mobilized. 4/8/14.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 4/8/14.
First entered the theatre of war in France 9/11/14.
Killed in action. In the Field. 4/6/15.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Francis nominated his wife Fanny, as his sole legatee.
On the 11th December 1915 Francis’s widow Fanny Jane, was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of twenty-one shillings for herself and two children, commensurate on the 20th December 1915.
The War Diary records: 4 Jun-15 - WIELTJE – YPRES – WESTROBEEK ROAD (Friday) Shelled all day. Casualties 2 killed, 12 wounded.
On Thursday June 17th 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “Barrow-on-Soar.” – Killed in action. – Mrs. F. Towe, of Cotes-lane, has received official news that her husband, Private Frank Towe, 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, was killed in action on June 4. The deceased was a reservist. He served five years in India and three in Egypt. At the outbreak of hostilities, he was working for Mr. Chas. Goodacre, C.C. and was highly respected in the village. He leaves a widow and two young children.
On Friday June 18th 1915, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – BARROW MAN DIES OF WOUNDS. - Mrs. Frank Towe, of Cotes Road, Barrow on Soar, received the news on Monday that her husband had died of wounds received in action in France. Private Frank Towe was a native of Barrow, about 34 years of age and a Special Reservist, he having served eight years with the Colours in the 1st Leicester’s in India, and five years reserve. He leaves a widow and two children.
On Friday July 2nd 1915, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR.” – The following casualties in the Leicestershire Regiment were announced by the Press Bureau for publication on Saturday: - Reported from Base, June 11th. KILLED. Elliott, 5086, Pte. A., 1st Battalion. Sutton, 12572, Pte. J.A., 1st Battalion. Towe, 5632, Pte. F., 1st Battalion. Thrusler, 9677, Pte. W., 1st Battalion.
[recognitum XIII-III-MMXXII]