Tuesday 16th July 2024  

Quorn WW1 Roll of Honour - Frank Cuthbert White

Died 13th May 1915, aged 20
Battle of Frezenberg, Second Battle of Ypres, Belgium

Family background
Frank White was the youngest child of George White and his wife Mary. They had five children and lived at Rose Cottage, which was on Loughborough Road, where numbers 21, 21a and 21b are now, (where a petrol station used to be). The family were very well known in the village. They were involved with the church and George in particular played many prominent roles in the community. He worked for Woolley, Beardsleys & Bosworth Solicitors in Loughborough for 50 years, but was also Clerk to Quorndon Urban District Council, Secretary to Quorn Building Society, a local property agent and developer and held many other offices.

All the children went to Rawlins Grammar School and Frank was later described by the headmaster as:
“A singularly attractive boy, who was more than ordinarily clever and excelled at all sports.”

Prior to enlisting he was articled to Warner Sheppard and Wade, auctioneers and estate agents in Leicester.

Killed at Ypres
George and Mary White lost two sons in the war, one of whom was Frank, who was shot through the head as the Germans advanced on 13th May 1915, when the Leicestershire Yeomanry were involved in the battle of Frezenberg, in the second battle of Ypres. Six other Quorn lads also died that day.

An item appeared in the Loughborough Herald on 20th May 1915:
“The Quorn Men - death of the brave lads
Sergeant-Major Swain, writing to his father-in-law, Mr George White, Quorn, conveys the news that his son Frank was killed in the action on the 13th. He says the brave lad fought a splendid fight, and died a glorious death. He was one of Major Martin's party, and died instantly. The Yeomanry were in the trench which the Germans bombarded for three hours, and then attacked in force, thousands of them. The enemy got into the trench, which was barricaded, and in the same party who were killed was Major Martin, Major Liebert, Lieutenant Brooks, Lieutenant Peake and Troopers Hickling and Adams. The letter concludes by saying what a sad roll call it was on Saturday.
Dan Moore and Wm Moore, sons of Mr Wm Moore, with Jack Lucas, son of Mr Lucas, jeweller, are among the missing Quorn men.
Three Quorn men, Sid Henson, Gerald Lovett, and Cecil Pepper are all safe, having been left behind in charge of the horses.”

Although various comrades knew that Frank had been killed, his body was not recovered. His name is engraved on the Menin Gate near Ypres.

Remembering Frank
After Frank died, George and Mary White donated a challenge shield to Rawlins School in memory of their son. See Artefact 2263. They also had a pair of silver candlesticks engraved in memory of their two much loved sons, which are still owned by the family. See Artefact 1851.
In addition they joined with the Moore family, who had lost three sons in the war, and donated a stained glass window in memory of the boys, in Quorn St Bartholomew’s Church. See the entry for Hubert Mason Moore, Artefact 2292.

Frank and his brother Charles are commemorated not only on Quorn War Memorial, but also on the two Rolls of Honour which still hang in Rawlins school today. (See Artefact 2261 and Artefact 2262).

Below:
1) Frank White before joining up.
2) Inset is a grainy newspaper photograph of Frank that appeared as his death was announced.
3) Rose Cottage on Loughborough Road, the White family home, is the tall house on the left. It was later demolished. More photographs of this site over the years can be seen in Artefact 1242.
4) Internal and external views of the Princess Mary tin given to Frank for Christmas in 1914. Initiated by Princess Mary, the seventeen year old daughter of George V, a similar tin was given to every soldier on active service abroad that Christmas. The most usual contents were 1oz of tobacco, twenty cigarettes, a Christmas card and a picture of the Princess. The tin still contains the original tobacco given to Frank.
5) Frank’s silver vesta (matches) case that he took with him to France.
6) The bronze memorial plaque cast with Frank’s name, and given to the next of kin of every soldier who died.

Submitted on: 2020-01-11 Submitted by: Sue Templeman with many thanks to Andrew Sheffield Artefact ID: 2276 Artefact URL: www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=2276 Print: View artefact in printer-friendly page or just on its own (new browser tab).