Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Sturgeon, a domestic groom, born 1873 in Norton, Suffolk and his wife Alice Mary Sturgeon (nee Nicholls, married in the October quarter of 1894 in Warwick), born in the July quarter of 1866 in Henderskelfe, Yorkshire (daughter of Jane Nicholls, 1829). Frank was born in the October quarter of 1894 in Warwick, his siblings were, Edith, born in the April quarter of 1897 in Leamington, Warwickshire and May, born in the July quarter of 1899 in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Grooms Cottage, St. Mary’s Road, Great Bowden, Leicestershire.
In April 1911 Frank was employed as a corset factory lift boy and was residing in the family home at 5, Orchard Street, Great Bowden, together with his father a hotel yard ostler, his mother and siblings, Edith, a corset factory sorter, May, a schoolgirl, Arthur, born in the January quarter of 1902, Hilda born in the April quarter of 1904 and Alice Maud, born in the April quarter of 1907, the latter three siblings were all born in Great Bowden.
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 Market Harborough, Leicestershire 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 20500.
Posted. To 2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in Mesopotamia after the 31st December 1915.
Killed in action. In the Field. 6/4/16.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Frank nominated his mother Alice as his sole legatee.
On the 21st May 1919, Frank’s mother Alice Mary, of 5, Orchard Street, Market Harborough was awarded a weekly Army Dependants Pension of five shillings, commensurate on the 6th November 1918, on his mother’s death, the Pension was transferred to his father, George of Hawthorns, Preston Road, Harrow.
The War Diary records: 6 Apr-16 - The 19th and 28th Brigade’s supported by 21st Brigade were ordered to carry out a night march with the intention of attacking at dawn. The march was commenced shortly after midnight, in massed formation, 28th Brigade on right, 19th Brigade on left. Formation of 28th Brigade. Front line 51st SIKHS (FRONTIER FORCE) and Provisional Battalion OXFORD AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY, second line 2nd LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT, third line 53rd SIKHS and 56th RIFLES (FRONTIER FORCE). Owing to considerable delay during the march the attacking Brigades were 1000 yards short of enemy’s position when it was daylight. Suddenly the enemy opened a withering fire. The first lines of the Brigade pushed forward to within 800 yards of enemy’s position until compelled to halt through very heavy casualties (our own artillery on right bank of TIGRIS being responsible for a considerable number) when they entrenched. Some 400 yards behind these another line was established and consolidated by some 200 men of the LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT and HIGHLAND Battalion’s (1st SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS and BLACK WATCH of 19th Brigade), the remaining units of both Brigade’s extending in rear. Heavy fire was kept up by enemy throughout the day. At dusk the wounded and a few others of the Battalion and other units crawled back, and organised stretcher parties were sent out. The following casualties occurred, very early in the Battalion. Officers killed 2nd Lieutenant H. BILLINGS, wounded Major R. N. KNATCHBULL D.S.O., Major A. F. R. COLQUHOUN, Captain C. A. BAMFORD, Captain H. N. H. GRIMBLE, Lieutenant H. STOCKLEY, 2nd Lieutenant T. MONAGHAN, 2nd Lieutenant J. HARBOTTLE, 2nd Lieutenant H. S. ELLIS. 2nd Lieutenant B. BRAKES was wounded in the afternoon. Other ranks during the 6th April, killed 45, wounded 254, wounded but did not quit Battalion 3, missing 19. Major D. L. WEIR D.S.O. reassumed command of the Battalion on the afternoon of the 6th April.
On Friday 19th, May 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 6, under the heading. – MARKET HARBOROUGH. – KILLED IN ACTION. – Mr. and Mrs -?- of 5, Orchard-street, Market Harborough have received official intimation -?- son, Signaller Frank Sturgeon -?- Leicester’s, has been killed in action -?- 21 years of age, and was pre-?- at the Post-office.
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