Duffy, Francis Lewis

Duffy, Francis Lewis

Military History:

Regiment:                               Royal Navy

Rank:                                     

Regimental Number:             13780

Date of Enlisting:                   27.1.1903

Date of death:                        4th quarter 1960

Cemetery/ Memorial:            

UK Cemetery/Memorial:       St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour
St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell

Francis enlisted with the Royal Navy, Royal Marine Light Infantry on 27th January 1903, Service Number 13780.  He lied about his age when enlisting saying his birth date was 14th October 1885 when in fact it was 1887. His marriage certificate in 1915 shows him stationed on the HMS Falmouth which took part in the Battle of Jutland and was torpedoed in October 1916 and sank in the Humber Estuary eight hours later. It is not known if Francis was on board.  He survived the War and died at Ashwell in 4th quarter 1960.

Francis was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Family History:

Date of Birth:                14.10.1887

Birth Place:                   St Pancras, London

Residence:                    Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Marriage:                      30.3.1915

Francis was born at St Pancras, London the fifth son of James and Susanna (nee Morrison) on 14th October 1887.

Francis married Mabel Skerman in Ashwell on 30th March 1915.  They had one son, Frank Alfred Reginald, born on 12th May 1920.

In the late 1920s early 1930s he lived with his wife and son at The Old Forge, 36 Kingsland Way and the 1939 census shows him living at 17 Council Cottages, Station Rd, Ashwell, a builder’s labourer.

Francis died at Ashwell in 4th quarter 1960 and is buried in the St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell.

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