Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Annie Clay a corset machinist, born 1867 in Welford, Northamptonshire. Frank Collis Clay was born in 1894 in Welford, his siblings were, Albert E., born 1889, Lilian Collis Clay, born 1896, Maggie, born 1898, John Henry, born 1899 and George Frederick William, born 1901, all his siblings were born in Welford, in March 1901 the family home was at High Street, Welford. In April 1911 Frank was employed as a type founder and was residing in the family home at 22, Knights End Road, Great Bowden, Leicestershire, together with his widowed mother, now a nurse and his siblings, Lilian, a corset trade binder, John, a schoolboy and George, a schoolboy.
The War Diary records: 22 Oct-14 - The Battalion had relieved the West Yorkshire Regiment the previous day at the Chemical Factory at Rue du Bois, they held the trenches and were heavily shelled by shrapnel and heavy Howitzers all day, casualties were Lieutenant Prain and Dods killed, Lieutenant Smeathman was wounded and died on the 24th October, eleven Other Ranks were killed and twenty five wounded. Frank was one of seven Leicestershire men who lost their lives on this day.
On Saturday January 9th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LOSSES IN THE LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT.” – The following casualties in the Leicestershire Regiment are announced. – KILLED. Lance Corporal F. Clay.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Photograph sent in by family member, C. Groenwald, 2019