Regiment: Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) ‘A’ Company, 6th Battalion (formerly Royal Sussex)
Service No: G/69292 (formerly 19539)
Date and place of birth: 2nd qtr 1891 in Midhurst, Sussex
Date and place of death: 10 August 1918 (aged 27) near Amiens, France
Family background
Frank Daniels was the son of George Peter Daniels, a bricklayer, and Mary Jane Daniels, nee Carter, who had married in 1873. At the time of the 1901 census Frank and his twin brother Ernest were 10 and living with their parents and three brothers: Charles (17), a grocery errand boy, James (15), also an errand boy and Thomas (13) in Duck Lane, Midhurst.
His mother, Mary Jane, died in 1902, aged 52.
By the time of the 1911 census the family was still living in Duck Lane and George Peter Daniels (65) was still working as a bricklayer. However, his daughter, Elizabeth Daniels (35), a laundry maid, was now living with him, together with Thomas (23), a chemist’s assistant, Ernest (20) a baker, Frank (20) an ironmonger’s assistant and George Henry (13).
Military service
Frank Daniels enlisted in Chichester. The 6th (Service) Battalion was formed in 1914 in Guildford. It was part of Kitchener’s First New Army (K1). It moved to Purfleet to join the 37th Brigade of the 12th Division before moving to Hythe. In February 1915 it moved to Aldershot and in May was mobilised for war. It landed in Boulogne and went from there to the Western Front where it was involved in the Battle of Loos (1915), the Battles of Albert, Pozieres and Le Transioy (1916), the First and Third Battles of the Scarp, Battle of Arieux and the Cambrai Operations (1917), the Battles of Arras (28 March) and Amiens (8 to 11 August 1918)
Death and commemoration
Frank Daniels was killed in action 10 August 1918, aged 27. He is buried in Morlancourt British Cemetery No 2. He is commemorated on Midhurst War Memorial and Memorial Panels in Midhurst Parish Church.
Frank Daniels received Victory and British medals.
Subsequent family history
George Peter Daniels died in June 1918, aged 71, in Midhurst district.
There are six other ‘Daniels’ named on the Memorial Panels: Charles Henry, Albert Joseph, James, and Philip Augustine who all returned from the war. It would appear that Charles and James are Frank’s brothers, but there are few records to substantiate this.
William Daniels is listed on the War Memorial and Memorial Panels as having died in action.
George Henry Daniels enlisted in Horsham and joined the Royal Regiment of Artillery (RH and RFA). He was demobilised 6 December 1919. He gave his next of kin as Elizabeth Daniels, mother, his address as Rumbolds Hill, Midhurst and his occupation as a gardener. He was 21.