Underwood, F
FRANCIS UNDERWOOD
Remembered with honour Cayeux Military Cemetery: Plot I, Row D, Grave 3.
He attested 15 September 1914 at Westminster for Short Service (3 years’ with the Colours): a civil engineer aged 24, 5’7″ tall, C of E; Private 2175 18th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (1st Public Schools). He served at Home 2 September 1914 to 13 November 1915; with the B.E.F. 14 November 1915 to 22 March 1916; and Home again from 23 March to 7 July 1916, when he was discharged on being granted a commission as Second Lieutenant (on probation) in the Royal West Kent Regiment 8 July 1916. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 14 November 1915, and died at No. 36 Casualty Clearing Station of wounds received in action.
Son of Elisabeth Matilda (formerly DARNELL, nee TOWNSEND), UNDERWOOD of Watford, and the late Francis UNDERWOOD.
His parents married 1888 in the Market Harborough, Leics, district. Francis died 23 January 1903 in Cranoe, Lincs, aged 52, and was buried 28 January at St Michael’s, Cranoe; Elisabeth possibly died 1941 in the Shrewsbury, Salop, district aged 82.
Francis was born 13 May 1890 in Little Oxenden, Northants, and baptised 15 June 1890 at St John the Baptist, East Farndon, Northants. He attended Oakham School, Rutland, from 1902 to 1907, and was a civil engineering graduate from Birmingham University.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
On the 1891 Census, aged 11 months he lived in Little Oxenden, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, aged 10 he lived in Cranoe, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, an engineering student aged 20, he lived in Boxmoor, Herts, with one sibling.
Rank
Second LieutenantUnit
4th Battalion, attached King's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryRegiment
Place buried
Date of death
18/04/1917Age at death
27Place of death
Memorial(s)
- 1st S.W. Herts Scout Troop [in St Mary's Parish Church Watford] (4)
- Abbot's Langley Herts War Memorial (17)
- Aldbury Herts War Memorial (1)
- Aldenham Herts War Memorial (located in Letchmore Heath Herts) (8)
- All Saints Church Croxley Green Herts (12)
- All Saints Church Harrow Weald Middx (2)
- All Saints Church Hertford (1)
- All Saints Church King's Langley Herts (1)
- All Saints Church Leavesden Herts (31)
- All Saints Church Witham Essex (3)