Captain Frank Ernest Watkin

[John Beech]

In remembrance of Captain Frank Ernest Watkin, Battalion Machine Gun Officer, 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

Frank Watkin was born 4th Quarter 1885 at Woolwich, where his father, Col. H. S. S. Watkin, was with the Royal Artillery. He attended Wellington College, before going to Sandhurst.

Appointed Second Lieutenant from Gentleman Cadet from Royal Military College, Sandhurst 15th August 1905

Appointed Lieutenant 4th September 1909

Served in India with 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers

Went to France with initial draft of the Battalion 13th August 1914

Invalided home September, rejoined the Battalion in November 1914.

Appointed Temporary Captain 15th November 1914

Appointed Captain 17th December 1914

Mentioned in Despatches 17th February 1915

On 1st January 1915, the battalion were in trenches at Kemmel and were heavily shelled both in the morning and afternoon. During the course of the day, the battalion suffered three killed and six wounded, one of the killed being Frank Watkin, who is likely to have been killed by shellfire. He was 29 when he was killed. Frank Watkin has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate. Also amongst those who died on this day is 3359 Lance Corporal Frank Robinson, from Darlington, who is today's remembered casualty at the top of the page.

Quo Fata Vocant (Whither the Fates call).

[Keith Iles]

Remembered