Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Timson, a railway wagon builder, born in the January quarter of 1849 in Peckleton, Leicestershire and baptised on the 14th January 1849 in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Peckleton (son of Joseph Timson, 1822-1900 and Ann Alice Burton, 1813-1884) and his wife Annie Timson (nee Forryan, married on the 20th May 1875 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born in the July quarter of 1853 in Wigston Magna, Leicestershire and baptised on the 6th November 1853 in All Saint’s Church, Wigston Magna (daughter of Abraham Forryan, 1820 and Elizabeth Evatt, 1819). Frank was born in the April quarter of 1895 in Enderby, Leicestershire, his siblings were, George Ernest, a quarry blacksmith, born in the January quarter of 1876 and baptised on the 27th February 1876 in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Peckleton and William Harold, a stone quarry worker, born in the April quarter of 1878 and baptised on the 1st December 1878 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Croft, the latter two siblings were both born in Peckleton, Julia Elizabeth, a domestic housekeeper, born in the July quarter of 1881 in Croft, Leicestershire and baptised on the 2nd July 1892 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Croft, Bessie, born on the 15th May 1885 and baptised on the 4th April 1886 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby, Agnes Susan., a yarn winder, born on the 2nd October 1886 and baptised on the 7th August 1887 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby, Evelyn Ruth, born on the 20th November 1888 and baptised on the 7th July 1889 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby and Gerald, born on the 1st May 1891 and baptised on the 6th November 1892 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby, the latter four siblings were all born in Enderby, in March 1901 the family home was in John Street, Enderby. Frank’s mother died aged 45 years, in the January quarter of 1899 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district. In April 1911 Frank was absent from the family home in John Street, Enderby, residing there was his father, a stone breaker, his step mother, Lydia Timson (formerly Preston, nee Bradshaw, married in the January quarter of 1907 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born in the July quarter of 1852 in Enderby, and his brother Gerald, a shoe trade finisher, meanwhile Frank was employed as a brewery cellar man and was residing at 5, Upper Conduit Street, Leicester, this being the family home of his married sister, Maggie (Agnes Susan) Poyser (nee Timson, married in the October quarter of 1911 in the Leicester district), a bane cutter and her husband Lancelot Charles Poyser, a brewery carter, born in the January quarter of 1885 in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire and baptised on the 22nd March 1885 in Holy Trinity Church, Ashby de la Zouch..
FAMILY NOTE: Frank also had the following older siblings, Alfred Thomas, born in the January quarter of 1877 in Peckleton and baptised on the 4th March 1877 in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Peckleton, Arthur Forryan, born in the July quarter of 1880 in Croft and baptised on the 31st October 1881 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Croft, Walter Edward, born in the July quarter of 1883 in Croft and baptised on the 6th January 1884 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Croft and Ethel Annie, born on the 2nd May 1890 in Enderby and baptised on the 6th July 1890 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Enderby, and who died in the April quarter of 1891 in Enderby.
Frank’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 Leicester 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 9452.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 9/9/14.
Transferred. To 2nd Bn. Leicestershire regt. Pte. Date not known.
Missing in action, In the Field. 15/5/15.
Death presumed to have occurred on or since. In the Field. 15/5/15.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Frank nominated his father, Thomas as his sole legatee.
On the 2nd September 1921, Frank’s father Thomas Timson, of John Street, Enderby, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of five shillings.
The War Diary records: 15 May-15 - Battalion rested during the day in LANSDOWNE POST. Moved off at 8.00pm. Battalion took over front line from which the assault was to be made and by 9.30pm Companies were in position. Telephonic communication established with left and right and communication by officers ascertained between men on left and 2nd Division on my right. Eleven bridges were placed over the stream which runs parallel to position and about 20 to 30 yards in front of it, there with the existing four bridges made a total of 15 on the Battalion front. It was not possible to place more bridges in position as the stream had been widened at many points by big shell holes, and the trunks and branches of fallen trees also blocked any other places where bridges might have been put. This getting of the bridges into position was an operation of great difficulty on account of the constant flares and bursts of fire from the enemy’s parapet. It was skilfully and quietly done with only two or three casualties. At 10.45pm two platoons were crossed over to the far side of the stream. Four more platoons were formed up ready, in the trenches to go forward and support the leading platoons. The remaining two Companies were formed up lying down behind the parados in close column of platoons ready to advance. Thus, the whole Battalion was got into its final position in order of attack and as close up as possible. This final formation was complete by 11.20pm and thanks to the able leading of Company Commanders the movement was carried out in perfect order, and with no noise. At 11.30pm the leading platoons went forward to the assault closely supported by the second line. The lines in rear went forward to take up the positions vacated by the leading line. At the same time, or if anything some seconds before 11.30pm the enemy opened a very heavy fire with rifles and machine guns. A few minutes afterwards trench mortars and shrapnel searched the stream and the ground on both sides of it. The enemy threw from their parapet some kind of fire grenade which burst into fire on impact with the ground, and these with continuous flames of all colours, literally turned night into day. The leading men pushed on but only a few were able to reach near the enemy’s parapet. Each succeeding line came under a very heavy fire, the bridges got so blocked and the obstacles caused by fallen trees and shell holes so impeded movement that effective support could not be given. Thus, the impetus of the assault was broken before it really got a proper start. The enemy’s parapet was fully manned and the accuracy and intensity may be understood from the fact that 8 officers, Platoon Commanders were killed or wounded. About 12 midnight reports were received from the front that our attack could not reach the German line, orders were then given to withdraw to our own trenches.
On Friday July 23rd 1915, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “ROLL OF HONOUR.” – The following men on the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment are reported from the Base under date 28th June to be missing: - Arnold, 7130, Private E. Brockington, 6628, Private F. Clarke, 16385, Private T. Coles, 9219, Lance-Corpl. W. Cook, 15799, Private T. Easton, 11565, Private R. Fletcher, 12850, Private L. Grant, 9667, Private E. Holmes, 12458, Corporal W. Jarman 8500, Private J. Jarman, 7723, Private W. Jones, 8524, Private R. Langham, 12503, Private F. Litchfield, 7354, Private G. Morris, 7004, Private J. Pilkington, 12687, Private J. Poulton, 11973, Private G. H. Pullen, 9912, Private W. Slater, 9851, Private W. Stokes, 9843, Private W. Tarratt, 11502, Private G. Timson 9452, Private F. Taylor, 12020, Private A. E. Wood, 7368, Private H. Woodford, 6469, Private W.
On Friday October 1st, 1920, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page seven, under the heading. – BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. – IN MEMORIAM. – HAWLEY. – In loving memory of my dear husband. Pte A. E. Hawley, died in France Oct. 1st, 1918; also Brother Frank Timson, died in France May 15th 1916. Time changes many things. But love and memory ever clings. – Evelyn and little Albert, 53, Upper Conduit-street.
[recognitum XIV-XII-MMXXII]

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Frank Timson was the brother of Arthur Forryan Timson (1880- 1962). His photograph was submitted by Arthur's Great Grandson, J. Nelson in 2019