Francis Arthur Geeson

War Service

Francis, or Frank as he became known to his comrades, enlisted at Normanton and joined the 4th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The battalion was soon on the move and in August 1914 they were encamped on Doncaster racecourse, but moved to Sandbeck Park, Maltby in order to accommodate the annual St Ledger horse-race meeting held at Doncaster in September. In November the battalion moved again, this time to Gainsborough, some 55 miles from the coast, where they were involved in North Sea coastal defences. Situated on the River Trent, with access to the North Sea via the River Ouse, the port of Gainsborough was at one time considered to be the most inland port in England. February 1915 saw the battalion encamped at a cocoa factory in York.
Often, before going overseas, men received embarkation leave. Therefore it is highly probable that the spring of 1915 would have been the last time Francis saw his wife of less than two years and his baby son.
The battalion arrived in Le Havre on 13 April 1915, thereafter moving each day northeast ever closer to the front line. A few days later in April the battalion saw action when they took over a section of the trench line approximately 15 miles south of Ypres on the French / Belgium border.
Later in 1915 the battalion moved north of Ypres to an area south of the town of Boesinghe. Although at this time the battalion was not involved in any major battles, their work continued building and maintaining the trenches.
During the building of a new industrial estate on the side of the river Yser / Yperlee canal a few years ago, in an area occupied by the battalion in 1915, a small section of the trenches was discovered. Fortunately, no building had taken place on this small area of archaeology. The Yorkshire trench can be visited today (2018) giving the visitor a sanitised glimpse of life in the trenches. Far different to the conditions men of Francis’ battalion experienced over 100 years ago. At that time conditions were diabolical with water and vermin ever present in the trenches and the men were often subjected to sniper fire and bombardment. Possibly, during one of these bombardments Francis lost his life.
According to the entries in the battalion’s War Diary, the battalion had been “subjected to heavy bombardment along the Yser Canal during July”.
The War Diary entry states the following:
“29 July 1915 Battalion in support
Casualties – 1 killed, 4 wounded
30 July 1915 Casualties – nil
31 July 1915 Casualties – I killed, 3 wounded”
Records show that Francis Arthur Geeson (Frank) was killed in action on 31 July 1915, only three months and nineteen days after arriving in France.
His grave is one of the 529 Commonwealth service men of the First World War buried or commemorated in Talana Farm Cemetery, West Belgium. Opened by the French in April 1915, the cemetery is on the opposite side of the Yser canal and less than a mile (in a straight line) from the Yorkshire trench. Part of the cemetery contains many 49th (West Riding) Division graves and a number of men from the 1st East Lancashire Regiment are also buried there. It continued to be in use by fighting units until March 1918.

Family Life

Francis Arthur was born in Normanton during April 1889, the son of George and Mary Geeson. Francis’ father George originated from Baslow, Derbyshire and his mother from Tinsley in Yorkshire.
Francis’ early life was spent at 6, Westwell Terrace, Normanton where he lived with his parents, older brothers George, Alfred, Thomas, Ernest and Albert. Sadly, when Francis was seven years old his mother died at the age of only 44 years. Francis’s father, now a widower, had the added burden of raising his children alone.
By 1901 the family had moved to live at 25, Wakefield Road, Normanton. Francis’ father continued to work as a blacksmith for the Midland Railway, which had facilities in Normanton and the remaining brothers, who were still living at home, found work at the local mines and brickworks. Francis was now 12 years old and still at school.
When Francis left school, he went to work at Locke and Co. Colliery (Newland St John’s Colliery). At the age of 23 years Francis married Beatrice Whale at All Saints Parish Church, Normanton on 17 May 1913. At the time of their marriage Francis’ address was Gable Cottage, Altofts Road, Normanton.