WILBRAHAM F

WILBRAHAM, Frank

Frank WILBRAHAM

Regiment: 11 Bn Cheshire Regiment

Rank: Private

Number: 4130

Died: 11 August 1916

Aged: 23

Buried/Memorial: Couin British Cemetery

Address: 14 Pipers Ash

Cheshire Observer 26 August 1916

ANOTHER ELLESMERE PORT HERO

“We regret to report the death of another member of the Ellesmere port branch of the Church of England Men’s Society in Pte Frank Wilbraham of the Cheshire Territorials. His home was at Piper’s Ash Chester and he lived with Mr T W Pritchard Ellesmere Port being employed at the King Flour Mill as a siloman. He was only 23 years of age and had been at the Front but four weeks but had been with the Colours nearly twelve months. Pte Wilbraham along with Pte J Taylor whose death we also report in this issue was a prominent worker at the parish church and had given most interesting papers at the CEMS meetings. He also assisted with the Sunday morning service at the Institute and was exceedingly popular with all who knew him. The news of his death came from a field hospital to Mrs Wilbraham and says Pte Wilbraham was brought to the hospital suffering from a wound in the head. He died six hours after admission without regaining consciousness. The news has been officially confirmed by a War Office message which states that his death occurred on July 11th.

The sympathy of all our readers particularly of Ellesmere Port church people with whom he worked goes out to his relatives in their great loss. Pte Wilbraham had on several occasions given addresses at the PSA and was a man of a type we can ill afford to lose.”

The 1911 Census shows Frank as an 18-year-old miller living at 14 Piper’s Ash with father Thomas, mother Margaret and brothers Thomas, Frederick, Sydney and Charlie and sisters Margaret, Sarah and Florence.

It is sad to note that brothers Frederick and Sydney also lost their lives in The Great War and are also commemorated on the Hoole & Newton War Memorial.