Biography of Lance Corporal Frank Baldock, (12905)
6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 9th August 1915

Mother

• Name: Annie Hipkin
• DOB: 22nd May 1868
• Place Of Birth: Frithville, Lincolnshire, England
• Marriage: 19th July 1888 Spilsby District

• Frank has two brothers Harold and John Thomas which also fought in WW1 but Harold was killed. Harold can be found on our page dedicated to the Bourne War Memorial.

• Father: Unknown
• Mother: Caroline Skeath

Newspaper Mentions

• Grantham Journal Saturday 5th October 1914
  BOURNE
  HEARTY SEND OFF FOR RECRUITS -On Monday morning a company of fifteen left Bourne Station to join the Lincoln Regiment of Lord Kitchener’s Army. The company met at the recruiting station in West Street, and we escorted to the station by the Bourne Brass Band and a large number of the residents of the town. The names were:- Arthur Maxon, Fred W Savage, John Thos Baldock, Geo Sherwin, George Carver, Frank Baldock (married), H Cleary, W Herbert Bloodworth, Percy J Vickers, Walter Parker (married), Ernest Robinson, Harry Darnes (Bourne), Jos Smith, Walter Archer and Percy Cave (Witham-on-the Hill), the latter three being the result of a meeting at Witham-on-the-Hill on Sunday evening, addressed by Lord Kesteven and Lieut K. R. G. Fenwick and presided over by Col C Birch-Reynardson

• Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 14th September 1915
  WOUNDED 6th LINCOLNS
  Baldock, 12905 Lce,-Corpl. F.

• Sheffield Daily Telegraph Tuesday 14th September 1915
  WOUNDED
  6th LINCOLNS
  Baldock (12905), Lce.- Cpl. F.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 23rd October 1915
  PRISONER IN GERMANY. – During the week, Mr. Larkinson has received a communication from his son, Pte. Percy Larkinson, station that he is a prisoner in Germany.  It will be remembered that Pte. Larkinson and his brother, Pte. Frank Larkinson, were reported missing after one of the heavy engagements.  Rumours of all kinds have been current since that date as to the two brothers, and fears were entertained last week-end that one of the reports that both were killed was too true.  Thw welcome news that one of the lads is safe has come at a most opportune time, and has been gladly received by the many friends of the boy.  Nothing has so far been heard of the other brother; nor of Pte. Frank Baldock, who was reported wounded some months ago, that being the only intimation yet received.

• The Standard Monday November 15th 1915
  Previously Reported Wounded, now Reported Missing.
  LINCOLN REGT.
  Baldock, 12905 L.-Cpl. F

• Grantham Journal Saturday 22nd January 1916
  THE “NAVAL” – When the ill fated “Natal” went down there was considerable anxiety as to the fate of Harold Baldock, a Bourne lad, who had just been transferred to the ship.  His name had not appeared amongst the lists and the fear was entertained that the young man must have perished.  This has proved true, for on Saturday an official notification reached his home that he had gone down with the vessel.  Only a fortnight before the “Natal” was sunk, young Baldock was at home on leave, and at that time had no idea that he would form part of the crew of the vessel; he had in fact, received instructions to join another boat, and was only transferred at the last minute to the “Natal”.  The sympathy of all classes goes out to Mr. and Mrs Baldock and the members of the family in their sad bereavement, intensified by the fact that another son, Pte. Frank Baldock, has been missing for several months, no tidings have been heard of him since he took park in one of the early engagements in the Dardanelles.

Military Records

Medals

• The British Medal
• The Victory Medal
• The 15 Star

Memorials

• UK:
• Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church
• Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
• In memory of Lance Corporal Frank Baldock, 12905, 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 9 August 1915.
• Remembered with honour, Helles Memorial.
• Panel 45 to 47.

© The War Graves Photographic Project

Military Service Timeline

• Frank was born in Stickford Lincolnshire in the first quarter of 1889, the son of Fred Baldock, a carpenter and his wife Annie Hipkin. Annie was Born in Frithville, Fred in Old Bollingbroke and were married in the Spilsby area in 1888.

  The couple lived in Stickford and West Keal before moving to Bourne in the late 1890s and had 11 children in all, although sadly three had passed away before 1911.
  Frank Baldock, 1889, b. Stickford

  Ivy Baldock, 1890, b. West Keal

  Elsie Baldock, 1892, b. West Keal

  John Thomas Baldock, b. 1894, West Keal

  Harold Baldock, 1898, b. Bourne

  Gordon Baldock, 1900, b. Bourne

  Doris Baldock, 1904, b. Bourne

  Cyril Baldock, 1906, b. Bourne

  In 1891 they were living on Boston Road in West Keal where the 22 year old Fred was employed as a carpenter.

  Going forward ten years to 1901, Frank can be found living with his parents in Bourne, Fred working as a miller and carpenter. Fred originally worked at the mill on South Street, Bourne, but the couple were later listed as having lived at 21 South Street, the cottage attached to the mill, later known as Baldock’s Mill and now the site of the Bourne Heritage Centre.

  On that 1901 census we see that Frank is now 12 years old and we also see that 7 year old John Thomas was born in West Keal but 2 year old Harold was born in Bourne. From this we can see that the family came to Bourne between 1894 and 1899.

  10 years later in 1911 Fred is now listed as an employer implying that during that last 10 years the took over the mill business and that he worked from home, a six room cottage attached to the mill no doubt. 22 year old Frank now lists his occupation as a miller and 17 year old John Thomas as an apprentice, again working from home in the family business.
  Just one year later in 1912 and we find that Frank was to get married. His married Alma Skeath who was born in Baston in 1890, the daughter of Caroline Skeath. That same year their son Cyril was born.
  We have no further records for Frank and his new family until a newspaper article in 1914.

  Grantham Journal Saturday 5th October 1914
  BOURNE

  HEARTY SEND OFF FOR RECRUITS -On Monday morning a company of fifteen left Bourne Station to join the Lincoln Regiment of Lord Kitchener’s Army. The company met at the recruiting station in West Street, and were escorted to the station by the Bourne Brass Band and a large number of the residents of the town.

  The names were:- Arthur Maxon, Fred W Savage, John Thos Baldock, Geo Sherwin, George Carver, Frank Baldock (married), H Cleary, W Herbert Bloodworth, Percy J Vickers, Walter Parker (married), Ernest Robinson, Harry Darnes (Bourne), Jos Smith, Walter Archer and Percy Cave (Witham-on-the Hill), the latter three being the result of a meeting at Witham-on-the-Hill on Sunday evening, addressed by Lord Kesteven and Lieut K. R. G. Fenwick and presided over by Col C Birch-Reynardson.

  We do not have the full records for Frank as they were most likely destroyed along with 60% of all WW1 records durning a fire in the WW2 London Blitz.
  The medal index card for Fred shows that he first entered the theatre of war in the Balkans on the 18th July, a mere 22 days before his death, the medal rolls showing that he had only ever served with the 6th battalion Lincolnshire regiment.

  We do know from the medals information that Frank joined the 6th Battalion and it would normally be from battalion diaries that we tell the story of his training and war. Sadly the diaries only start in July 1916, long after Gallipoli, when the Battalion left Alexandria for the Western Front.
  We do have information we can take from the excellent History of the Lincolnshire Regiment to look at the movements of the 6th battalion and some other records such as pension records for Frank Baldock to tell his story.
  –
  ‘The 6th was the first of the Service Battalions (as the New

  Army battalions were called) of the Lincolnshire Regiment to be

  raised. As early as the 8th of August Captain Elkington and

  Lieutenant and Quartermaster P.H. Jones, two regular

  officers of the Regiment, arrived at Belton Park, near Grantham,

  to make preparations for receiving recruits from the depot at

  Lincoln, where large numbers were enlisting. By the end of

  the month four companies were formed and the original nucleus

  of a few regular soldiers had expanded to a battalion with Lieut.Colonel

  M.P. Phelps in command.

  The 6th Lincolnshire were quartered in Belton Park, just

  outside Grantham. The early days of the battalion were not

  easy, as the men had only their civilian clothes, they had no rifles,

  and target practice had to be carried out with air guns on a

  miniature range. These disadvantages were, however, taken in

  good spirit, for all ranks were full of enthusiasm.’
  It was noted that the physical standard of troops for the 6th Battalion was high due to the high numbers of agricultural workers that joined the Battalion.

  The 6th (Service) Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment
  with the 6th Border Regiment 7th South Staffordshire Regiment

  and 9th Sherwood Foresters, formed the 33rd.Infantry Brigade,

  which was raised at Grantham in August 1914 and remained

  encamped there until early in April 1915. On the 4th of that

  month the 11th Division moved to the Rugby area, thence to

  Whitley and Farnham, the 33rd Brigade taking over a tented

  camp at Frensham. Here until the end of June, the brigade

  Was training. On the 31st of May the division was inspected by king George V on Hankey Common.

  On the 1st July the brigade sailed from Liverpool,

  escorted by two destroyers as far as the Scilly Islands ; but there

  Was no escort to Alexandria or Mudros (Aegean Island of Lemnos).
  The” Empress of Britain,” carrying the 33rd Brigade, reached

  Alexandria on the 12th July, where it was delayed four days to

  fill up with water, arriving at Mudros on the 18th.

  The troops were transferred to small steamers there, and carried to the

  southern end of Cape Helles, where they moved into trawlers for

  landing on the peninsula. The 6th Lincolnshire went straight

  to” V” Beach and disembarked from lighters. Other units of

  the Brigade were landed wherever the captain of each trawler

  could put them ashore ; this was owing to the severe shelling

  of the beach. The Brigade was not collected till noon the next

  day, just north-west of Sedd-el-Bahr.’

  The following account from the book tells of the next 18 days between being landed at Suvla to the 9th August where so many of our local men were killed. This account is copied into the remembrances of our other men from this day.
  More information about Frank and his family follow this account.
  ——
  The 33rd Brigade now came under the orders of the Naval Division, which at this period, after very severe fighting, was tired and weak and greatly in need of relief. The brigade therefore, took over the whole of the front line held by the Naval.

  Division, which extended about one thousand yards across the

  Achi Baba Nallah, with its left about fifteen hundred yards south,

  and a little east of Krithia.

  Very keen, very anxious to get to grips with the enemy, the

  6th Lincolnshire at first went into reserve trenches at 4 p.m. on

  20th, but on the following day moved into the front line. The

  trenches were in a very bad state, in many places they were only

  half completed and exposed to the fire of Turkish snipers. But

  at once the battalion set to work to deepen and strengthen the

  defences, the enemy keeping up an almost continuous deadly

  rifle-fire, particularly at night. The Lincolnshire snipers,

  however, soon equalised matters.

  The 6th Lincolnshire had four casualties-all wounded-on the 21st July. These were the first suffered by the battalion in the Great War. On the 22nd Company-Quartermaster-Sergeant Wrightson was hit whilst coming up to the line from the beach.

  The first officer casualty is recorded on 3rd July, when 2nd
  Lieutenant T.D. Overton was killed by a bullet through the head.

  After six days in the front line the Lincolnshire withdrew in

  reserve, about five hundred yards in rear, though still under shellfire.

  The casualties suffered by the Battalion from the 20th to

  the 31st July inclusive were one officer and six other ranks killed

  and thirty-two other ranks wounded. Another short tour in the

  forward trenches followed and then on the night of 1st/2nd

  August the Lincolnshire were relieved by French Senegalese

  troops, and the 33rd Brigade re-embarked on vessels for Imbros,

  rejoining the two other brigades of the 11th Division.

  The period spent at Helles was a great asset to the 6th Battalion
  and other troops of the brigade. The men got over· their

  natural nervousness when under fire, and the first sensations

  of seeing their comrades killed or wounded. They became

  inured to the hard conditions of the firing line and acquired selfconfidence. But the incredible filth, stench and flies all over the lines sowed the seeds of dysentery, from which the brigade never entirely recovered. It was no fault of our men who, when not in the trenches, had to bury innumerable dead, fill up latrines, burn rubbish and clear up all round.

  The Division was informed that it would shortly take part in a landing at Suvla Bay in conjunction with an attack from Anzac, push on to the eastern crest of the Gallipoli Peninsula, and so cut off the Turks opposed to the British and French troops operating from the south.

  The landing took place on the night of 6th/7th August. For
  several days the troops had practised embarking and disembarking

  from lighters, so that when on the afternoon of the 6th the

  final embarkation took place, the operation was quickly carried

  out.

  The 33rd Brigade, however, had only three destroyers

  and three lighters allotted to it and much discomfort was suffered

  by the troops as they were packed so closely together that it was

  hardly possible to move. For hours they were crowded together

  as the time of departure from the harbour was to be 8 p.m.

  When darkness fell, the destroyers, each towing a lighter

  (called” Beetles”) moved slowly out of Imbros Harbour. The

  night was still and the setting forth of that extraordinary fl~et of

  small vessels was a sight never to be forgotten. Absolute silence

  was enjoined on the crowds of khaki-clad troops packed closely

  on the decks.

  Divisional Operation Orders stated that the tasks allotted to
  the Division were. to secure the landings on Beaches B, C and A

  (the beaches were in that order from right to left), and Suvla Bay

  generally for the disembarkation of the 10th Division a~d stores.

  With these objectives the 33rd Brigade (less two battalions) was

  to secure the right flank of the Division by taking up a position

  from the right of the landing place (Beach B) to the south-eastern

  corner of the Salt Lake. The 32nd Brigade was to seize Lala

  Baba, and the 34th Brigade was to carry Ghazi Baba and Hill 10.
  In pitch darkness, with every light ” doused,” the destroyers,

  with their ” Beetles ” in tow, approached Suvla. It was 11.30

  p.m., when the lighters carrying the 33rd Brigade grounded on

  B Beach, south of the 32nd Brigade, which was then landing at

  C Beach. Beyond a few shots from Turkish snipers, the landing

  was effected without opposition.

  The 7th South Staffords and 9th Sherwood Foresters were

  first ashore and were ordered to take up a line from the southeastern

  corner of the Salt Lake to the beach. Brigade Headquarters, the 6th Lincolnshire, 6th Border Regiment and the Divisional Pioneers (6th East Yorkshire) followed in Divisional Reserve, with orders to be at the junction of the Azmak with the Anafarta Sagir-Suvla Point road at dawn on the 7th.
  The 34th Brigade meanwhile experienced difficulty in landing

  at A Beach, where opposition was encountered from a small

  Turkish redoubt on Hill 10, rifle-fire also being opened on the

  brigade from Lala Baba and Ghazi Baba. The West Yorkshire

  and Green Howards of the 32nd Brigade, however, stormed Lala

  Baba from the south and finally the 34th Brigade got ashore .

  The 32nd Brigade then advanced to support the 34th Brigade

  along the narrow Isthmus between Lala Baba and Hill 10, which

  separated the Salt Lake from Suvla Bay.

  The 6th Lincolnshire, with other troops in Divisional Reserve,

  followed the 32nd Brigade. The Salt Lake at this period was

  dry : it was connected with Suvla. Bay by a small inlet (later

  named “The Cut”), also dry. Half-way across the Isthmus fighting was seen in the neighbourhood of Hill 10. Day was now breaking and the Lincolnshire

  who, with Brigade Headquarters, were leading, came under

  fire from Turks on the northern shore of Salt-Lake.
  The 33rd Brigade, less two battalions, was in column of

  route·; . when day broke the head of the column, the 6th Lincolnshire,

  was close to the rear of the 32nd Brigade, then in the act

  of crossing “The Cut.” For the moment the two battalions of

  the 33rd Brigade were not required, and as they were exposed

  to fire, the Brigade Commander formed them into column, the

  Lincolnshire facing north across the ‘Isthmus? digging covcer f0r

  themselves in the scrub and soft. sand. Here they waited in

  Divisional Reserve, until at· 2 p.m. they were ordered to advance

  in support of the· 10th Division and seize Chocolate Hill.

  C and D Companies of the Lincolnshire, supported by A and B Companies, advanced immediately in artillery formation and passed along the northern shore of Salt Lake.

  The final advance was carried out across the Lake itself, the

  troops advancing in lines in extended order in absolute parade ground

  formation. It was a magnificent spectacle, and brought

  forth exclamations of admiration from all who saw it. An

  Australian Staff Officer who with others watched the attack from

  the heights of Anzac, ‘said to an officer of the battalion afterwards

  : “What a wonderful attack that was across the Salt

  Lake. We watched it go right over. Do you know who

  carried it out ? “

  Both the 6th Lincolnshire and 6th Borders went forward in
  fine style without faltering. At the foot of Chocolate Hill

  (another name for which is Hill 53) and about six hundred to

  seven hundred yards from the summit, they came upon and passed through the right of some troops of the 10th Division, then halted under cover. Here they re-formed and prepared to storm the hill. The 6th Border Regiment had come up on the left of the Lincolnshire, the two battalions facing south-east. At this place, some two hundred yards from the north-west foot of Chocolate Hill, were found supports of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

  D and B Companies, advancing in short rushes through the

  Dublin Fusiliers, began the attack. By this time the enemy’s

  fire was heavy, shrapnel shells and machine-gun and rifle bullets

  sweeping the line of advance. Major Norton (D Company) was

  hit and the command devolved upon Captain Duck. Companies

  then became more or less split up owing to casualties, the heavy

  fire being directed upon them and the small party of Dublin

  Fusiliers scattered about under cover. The battalion was, therefore,

  reorganised and B and A Companies prepared for the assault.

  One officer and a few men of the Dublin Fusiliers joined

  themselves to the two forward companies of the Lincolnshire,

  who, now under a heavy rifle-fire, began the assault of the hill.

  In short rushes they advanced up the slopes until they reached

  some dead ground about one hundred yards from the crest.

  Here they halted under cover for half an hour whilst the divisional

  artillery and machine-gun sections played upon the Turkish

  positions above.

  The order to charge was given and, with a rush and cheering wildly, the Turkish redoubt and trenches on the top of the hill

  were carried. Many Turks and a German officer were shot

  down or bayoneted. A few escaped down a communication

  trench on the reverse slope of the hill. Captain Duck and

  Lieutenant L. Webber were the first to penetrate the enemy’s

  line, but the latter unfortunately was shot through the heart and

  bayoneted upwards through the groin as he was actually crossing

  the fire trench.

  Chocolate Hill was captured by the 6th Lincolnshire Regiment; after the fighting was over, and the positions were being consolidated and prepared against counter-attack another battalion came up.

  The casualties of the battalion in this attack were as follows :

  Besides Lieutenant Webber, Major D’A.M. Fraser had been

  killed, and Major Norton and Lieutenant C.C. Downes (died of

  wounds 11th November, 1915), 2nd Lieutenants Bird and

  Hemsley wounded. The losses in other ranks were approximately

  eighty-four.

  The Lincolnshire had every reason to be proud of this, their first fight with the enemy.
  During the night Chocolate Hill was taken over by the 31st Brigade and the Lincolnshire and Borders were ordered back early on the morning of the 8th to Divisional Reserve at Lala Baba.

  There is another point concerning the capture of Chocolate

  Hill by the 6th Lincolnshire which has hardly been appreciated.

  It was one of the brightest spots in a day of otherwise gloomy

  disappointment. Chocolate Hill and Karakol Dagh were the

  most important captures of the 7th August. A secure footing

  has been obtained on the shores of Suvla, but little else. ” More

  might well have been done, for the ‘ W ‘ Hills had not been

  attacked, and we were still a long way from Anafarta village.”

  After the assault, the officer temporarily in command of the

  Lincolnshire (Captain Hansen, later awarded the V.C.) and an

  officer of the Borders, reconnoitred to the front, and actually

  reached Ismail Oglu Tepe (Hill W) without opposition. This

  hill was never captured, and its possession. by the Turks cost

  thousands of lives. The Officer Commanding the Lincolnshire

  asked permission to take the hill whilst it was possible, as the

  men were full of fight, but received a written order to withdraw

  to Lala Baba.

  The line of the 11th and 10th Divisions on the night of the
  7th August ran approximately from about Hetman Chair, across

  Chocolate Hill to Scimitar Hill and Sulajik, thence west of

  Kuchuk Anafarta Ova to Kiretch Tepe Sirt. The 9th Sherwood

  Foresters, 33rd Brigade, were still entrenching on a line from

  south-eastern corner of the Salt Lake to B Beach.

  When the landing took place at Suvla Bay on the 6th/7th August there were very few Turkish troops in the Suvla and Ejelmer areas, including those in the Anafarta villages. The hours before their reinforcements could arrive were priceless.

  The daylight hours of the 6th~ August held all the possibilities

  of success. It is a matter of history that a great opportunity was

  lost when the Expeditionary Force failed to advance to the

  heights.

  During the 8th August the Lincolnshire and Borders were in
  Divisional Reserve, at Lala Baba, making· trenches, which faced

  north, north-east and east, round the spurs of the hill. Though

  naturally tired, they had plenty of food and enough water. They

  were elated with their success at Chocolate Hill and hoped to

  advance against Hill W during the day.
  In the course of the afternoon, the Brigade Commander

  (Maxwell) received personal instructions from the Commander

  of the 11th Division (Hammersley) for an attack at dawn on the

  Anafarta Ridge, Hill Wand Anafarta, on a frontage of about a

  mile. It was explained to him that little opposition was expected.

  The position to be attacked was pointed out by the Brigadier to

  the Commanding Officers of the Lincolnshire, Borders and South

  Staffords in daylight, and written orders sent out about 9 p.m.

  The Brigadier was informed that the high ground from Scimitar

  Hill to the north, and the west of Anafarta, was held by our

  troops, so that his left flank was secure. In view of the nature of

  the ground and extent of front a direct frontal attack was the only

  one possible.

  The three battalions (Border Regiment, South Staffords and
  Lincolnshire, in that order from right to left) were to attack the

  “Anafarta Ridge exclusive of Ismail Oglu Tepe and village of

  Anafarta Sagir the frontage being about 1,800 yards.”
  The 6th Lincolnshire and 6th Border were to rendezvous on

  the western side of Chocolate Hill, moving by the southern side

  of Salt Lake. They were then to move to their positions of

  deployment on each side of the 7th South Staffords. The latter

  battalion was already practically on its position of deployment,

  supposed to be covered by troops holding Hill 70 or Scimitar

  Hill.

  The 6th Dublin Fusiliers (31st Brigade), attached to the 33rd

  Brigade, were to support the South Staffords or the flank

  battalions as required.

  At 2 a.m. on 9th the battalion left bivouacs near Lala Baba

  and moved along the southern side of Salt Lake to Chocolate

  Hill, where a short halt was called. But hardly had the troops

  begun to advance on Ismail Oglu Tepe, i.e., Hill W, when heavy rifle-fire broke out from the north-east and, at the same time, the Turkish guns began to shell Chocolate Hill~ No British troops were in front of the Lincolnshire, South Staffords or Borders the Pioneer Battalion (West Yorkshire) had been withdrawn and Scimitar Hill was now held by the Turks, whose reinforcements had at last arrived : they had swept down from the

  heights and had occupied all the vantage points.

  As soon as the rifle-fire (it was about 4.10 a.m.) opened on
  them the attacking troops deployed, the Lincolnshire into two

  lines of half battalions on a front of five hundred yards. A Company

  on the right, supported by D, and B on the left supported

  by C. The guides who led the battalion forward now informed

  the Commanding Officer that his companies were about one

  hundred yards too much to the right. .The direction was corrected

  and the attack proceeded towards the Anafarta Ridge.

  But it was already doubtful if the final objective could be reached.

  Hill 70 was obviously held by the enemy in force.
  The story of that attack is contained in the words of the

  Commanding Officer, 6th Lincolnshire Regiment'(Lieut.-Colonel

  M.P. Phelps) :

  ” The battalion reached this point ” (Hill 70) ” which I had

  been told was held by one of our regiments” (the West Yorkshire) , “which information I had passed on to company commanders

  When firing started I immediately went to the leading

  companies, who pushed on, taking up a position along the forward

  head of the hill. I there heard that the West Yorkshire had

  retired from the hill and D Company was forced to turn half

  left to meet an attack from the enemy on the flank. Casualties

  began at once. I went to ‘ O ‘ where I found the line held, but

  under very accurate and close, if not heavy, fire, both from the

  front of B and the high ground beyond. I then went to the left

  flank (near I.X.), where the men were quite steady and shooting

  hard. There were many casualties from fire from A and the

  high ground beyond it. I then fixed on a central point as

  Battalion Headquarters. I and my Adjutant were there at

  intervals during the entire action and sent messages from there.

  A few reinforcements now began to arrrve, a company or less at

  a time, and went into the firing line. I then sent a report to

  Headquarters asking for more reinforcements and ammunition.

  I then went to X, where I found Major Yool of the South

  Staffordshire Regiment. The trenches were full of dead and

  wounded, and I believe this corner was hardly held all day, as

  no one cared to go through the brush. As I returned, there

  was a rush of men to the rear, belonging to other battalions sent

  as reinforcements, which I, helped by Captain Hansen and

  Captain Duck managed to stop, sending all these men back to

  the firing line. There were several of these rushes ( seven or

  eight ; two at B), all of which we managed to stop, taking the

  men back to the firing line. All the time shrapnel was bursting

  among the men from the right front, this added to the casualties.

  Fire came directly from the rear and pitched amongst the men

  There is no doubt that this came from our own guns.” (There

  is a difference of opinion about this.-Ed.)

  ” During this time three small fires started at 1 and 2, but

  died down. A further fire started now, however, and got a

  good hold of the scrub, driving back the men in the firing line

  and making it almost impossible to see. Unfortunately there

  were far too many wounded to bring away. At 12. 15 p.m. I

  reluctantly gave the order to withdraw, taking as many wounded

  as we could. There were then only twenty-three men left on

  the hill, mostly men of the battalion. I retired on a trench

  about three hundred yards in rear and took over a section of the

  defence, which we immediately consolidated.”

  ” Our losses were twelve officers killed, wounded and missing,
  three hundred and ninety-one rank and file, out of seventeen

  officers and five hundred and sixty-one rank and file who originally

  started out, leaving the battalion five officers and one

  hundred and seventy-four rank and file strong.”

  No sooner had the Lincolnshire reached their new line than
  Captain P.H; Hansen, the Adjutant, calling for volunteers to

  assist him, dashed back through clouds of smoke and a stream of

  bullets into the burning scrub, which by now gave off a terrific

  heat. He did this to save wounded men from being burned

  alive. Six times he went three hundred yards into that inferno

  and rescued six men from a most horrible death. He was

  awarded the V.C.3 Lance-Corporal A.H. Breeze and two others

  who went out with Captain Hansen were awarded the D.C.M.

  Many wounded were burned alive ; none of the battalion missing

  were ever seen again.

  The line formed by the Lincolnshire, just in rear of the burning
  scrub, ran roughly from Hill 50 to Sulajik : here the 33rd Brigade

  dug in during the night, joining up on the left with troops of the

  32nd Brigade. The losses of the Lincolnshire have already been given : the 6th Border Regiment came out of action with about

  one hundred and eighty men. Of the Brigade Staff, the Brigade

  Major (Major F.G. Spring, Lincolnshire Regiment) and the

  Signalling Officer were wounded.

  During the night of the 8th/9th and early morning of the 9th
  August the 53rd (T) Division arrived in Suvla Bay and disembarked.

  On the 10th another attempt was made to take the

  Anafarta Ridge which failed. The troops employed were the

  newly-arrived 5 3rd Division.

  The 53rd Division advanced under shell-fire and reached a

  front two hundred yards from the summit of the Hill. Their

  right, however, appeared to swing north instead of keeping

  direction south-east and the advance stopped. Another attack

  during the afternoon also failed and the Lincolnshire and other

  battalions of the 33rd Brigade held on to the front they had

  occupied the previous day.

  On the 12th the battalion was relieved and moved back to

  the beach for a rest, where it remained until the night of the

  20th/21st August, when it returned to the line to take part in

  the next battle . So weak were the Lincolnshire in numbers that they were reorganised into two companies.
  ——
  Frank Baldock would originally be listed as missing during the period mentioned in the above passages from C.R. Simpson’s ‘The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918.

  Lincolnshire Echo Tuesday 14th September 1915
  WOUNDED 6th LINCOLNS

  Baldock, 12905 Lce,-Corpl. F.

  The Standard Monday November 15th 1915
  Previously Reported Wounded, now Reported Missing.

  LINCOLN REGT.

  Baldock, 12905 L.-Cpl. F

  His parents still didn’t know of Frank’s fate even in January 1916 as mentioned in the newspaper when the story of Harold, their son’s death in the Navy, was reported by the Grantham Journal.

  Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  In memory of Lance Corporal Frank Baldock, 12905, 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 9 August 1915. Remembered with honour, Helles Memorial. Panel 45 to 47.

  Frank is also remembered on the Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church and the Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens, as well as on a page dedicated to this memory on our own web site
  https://www.southlincolnshirewarmemorials.org.uk/…/fra…/

  The story does not end there as we know that Frank left a widow and a son. On pension records we see that Alma, born on the 31st March 1890, of Hereward Street Bourne was awarded Franks pension on from June 1916. Son Cyril, born on 19th September 1912, was also listed. The pension records were updated when Alma and Cyril moved to 59 Abbey Road, Bourne.  A different index card gives an address as 39 Abbey Road.
  Fred and Annie Baldock were living at 21 South Street Bourne on the night of the 1921 census. The only child left at home was now Daughter Doris, aged 16 and we find that Fred is an employer working from home and is listed as a carpenter and miller.

  The same 1921 census now confirms that Alma and 8 year old Cyril were in fact living at 39 Abbey Road. Alma is listed as a widow, aged 31 and employed in home duties. Cyril attended school full time at this time.
  The pictures of the memorial and Frank’s inscription the memorial are courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project.

  Maps and other illustration are taken from C.R. Simpsons book ‘The History if the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918’ which is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the Regiment during the Great war.
  We will remember them.

Sources

• WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
• British Newspaper Archive.
• Fold 3
• Find My Past
• Genealogist
• Forces War Records
• British Army Service Numbers
• War Gratuity Calculator
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
• General Registry Office
• The War Graves Photographic Project