Private Francis (Frank) Brinkman.
5781 1st East Lancashire Regiment
Died of Wounds 4th April 1916, aged 21.
Frank was born in Burnley about 1895 the son of Robert, a Brick Burner of Rochdale and Catherine from Newcastle Upon Tyne. In the 1901 census the family were living at 59 John St., Nelson. Frank had a brother called Harold aged 2.
By the time of the 1911 the family had moved to 7 Sellar St, Rochdale Lane Rochdale. Still the same family unit of Robert, Catherine, Frank and Harold. His parents had been married 18 years with a total of 3 children, one of whom had died.
The Battalion war diary for 1st to 4th April 1916:
Fonquevillers-1st April -Sat - a lovely warm day. Enemy sniped left company with whizzbangs throughout the morning. No damage. Rifle grenades fired with right company (D) at intervals during the day. Considerable aerial activity during the day on both sides. Enemy artillery was on the whole not so active as usual.
Fonquevillers- 2nd April Sunday. Another lovely day. At 11 am our heavies bombarded the Z for half an hour, good shooting was made on the whole. The 9.2s made some very good practice, not many of their shells being dud's. Enemy retaliated rather feebly at the time with whizzbangs but in the afternoon they trench mortared The 48th Division on our right rather severely, and sent a good many 5.9s over our heads into villages in rear. A 5.9 also proceeded to fire shells at intervals of about 5 minutes into the back of Fonquevillers. These shells all burst 40 or 50 feet up over a place where there is nothing and nobody, and where, as far as one knows, no battery has ever been. About 30 shells were fired.
Two accidents happened in the morning (carelessness on the part of men) by these accidents one man was killed, one severely and one slightly wounded.
Fonquevillers-3rd- Mon- another very fine day "C" Company relieved "A" Company in the centre section last evening- much aeroplane activity- a rifle grenade burst in "D" Company trenches wounding three men severely and one slightly. 2nd Lt Reid open fire with his Stokes Mortar the first two shells bursting in the the German trenches a third very high -some whizzbangs also about the line - about 10:30 a.m. The Germans fired about 50 5.9's over our heads they appear to be going towards St Amand - about 12:30 48th division on our right were will heavily Trench Mortared - a quiet afternoon only a few whizzbangs being fired 1 battery of 37th division left being replaced by 135 battery of 4th division. Captain Dosswill (?) came to medical officers dugout with a temperature of 104 degrees probably a touch of sun.
Fonquevillers-4th-Tues- a very foggy morning giving a splendid opportunity of examining our wire by day, some wiring was done. About 7:30 am fog cleared off to some extent but not entirely. Much colder. Col Tilney Company Artillery Brigade called at Battalion HQ and demanded various points in artillery cooperation.
27th battery RSA, relieved 125B battery at night, the whole of the 4th division artillery being now in the line. Enemy fired 7 minewerfer (?) at N Fortin at 11 pm, three men slightly wounded, no other damage. A quiet night on the whole.
Fonquevillers-5th-wed -a dull chilly morning. Our field guns were busy registering- the enemy artillery retaliated with whizzbangs and a few 4.2's at various parts of our line. Brigadier-General came to Fonquevillers at 11:15 a.m., and walked round part of line with C O. The Battalion was relieved in trenches by 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, relief commenced at 7:30 p.m. And was not completed until 11:30 p.m.. These triangular relieves take a very long time. A&D companies remained in Fonquevillers in Close support ,Commanded by Captain McMullen. B&C companies in close support in in Hannescanips under O C left section ( 1st R B). These two companies were under Captain Brown. HQ at Bienvillers. Enemy trench mortared N. Fortin at 6:15 p.m.. No damage, after some time 4.5 howitzers opened on mortar which was located in the big Z. Captain Doswill goes back for a short rest with first-line transport.
Frank was buried in Humberscamps Communal Cemetery, France: Grave Ref: I.D.12.
