Auburn, Frank Haylock

Frank was the second son of John and Annie (nee Haylock) Auburn, born at Stotfold, Bedfordshire on 31 August 1898.  The family moved to Ashwell in 1910 where he was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School.

Frank enlisted at Hitchin on 16 February 1917 with the 27^th Battalion Training Reserves after completing a voucher from the newspaper which advertised full pay for those days served as reserve soldiers.  He served in France with the 1^st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, Regimental number 59940. In October 1917 he transferred to 2/6^th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, Regimental number 40997 and Frank was sent home on leave in December 1917 having been gassed. In February 1918 he transferred to the 22^nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, Regimental number 88471, and was sent to Italy and Egypt.

Having survived the War Frank was demobilised in 1920 and then enlisted at Heaton Park, Manchester with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force to be called up only in an emergency.  He was listed as Lance Corporal.

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

Frank was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Frank married Sarah NWD Huffer in June 1929.  They had one daughter Joyce E born in 1932.  Sarah died in 1940.  Frank married Mary J Page in September 1942 and they had one daughter Jean, born in 1944.

The 1939 census shows him living in Ashwell, a general labourer.

Frank died on 31 July 1968.

Frank’s brother Leonard also survived the war having served with the Bedfordshire Regiment.