2nd Lt Francis Stanley Mott (24th Bn, Royal Fusiliers)

[crud57]

Francis Stanley Mott was born in 1896 at Brixton, South London, to Francis and Alice Mott and in 1901 they lived at Streatham.

He had one younger sister and at some time before 1911 the family moved to Massetts Road, Horley.

No detailed service record or enlistment details are available for Francis and the only information available is that on his medal entitlement card.

This shows that Francis was sent to France on the 29th August 1914, immediately after the outbreak of war. The 24th RF were not raised until the autumn of 1914 so Francis clearly went with a different unit. How he progressed from being a Private soldier to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in such a short time is a mystery.

His medal card suggests that he was attached to the Australian Voluntary Hospital later the 32nd Stationary Hospital. The hospital unit left for France in August 1914 and from October was based at Wimereux. In July 1916, the Australian Volunteer Hospital was absorbed into the British Army.

His medal card was originally made out as F.S.Mott and his forenames are filled in later in the same hand that records him as a

2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and also that he died of wounds.

The two entries are so disparate, with regard to unit and rank, that it is impossible to link them with any certainty.

The circumstances of his death are unknown though he may have been serving with 24th Royal Fusiliers in the general area of Loos before they moved south to the Somme.

Francis Mott died of his wounds on the 23rd July 1916, aged 19, and is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery which is about 5 miles west of Bethune.

An authority was given for the award of the 1914 star in response to a request by his father in January 1918 and was sent in via the 32nd Stationary Hospital.

Can anyone access his service record or tell me with any certainty how his connection to the AVH can be explained?

[SteveE]

Francis Stanley MOTT has an officer's personnel file at the National Archives under reference WO 339/37312. Link.... http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1091211

Ordering the file direct from Kew via the link above can be expensive and, as the file is not online, will probably be cheaper if accessed by you, or someone on your behalf, at Kew.

Regards

Steve

[sotonmate]

Crud

Time is getting tight and the list long on my next visit to Kew tomorrow,but I have the details and time permitting will seek your answers.

[sotonmate]

Crud

Time was not on quicksilver wings today and I got the file. Please send me your e-mail by PM here and I will pass the pics over.

There is a mention of him working with the AVH pre-enlistment,but only a line or two.

[mogodonman]

Attached two newspaper reports which may help a little

[Michelle Young]

Crud hasn't visited the forum since 2014, so sadly I doubt whether they will see this.