Saturday, June 14, 2014

Pte. Frank Newall, Border Regiment (1919 - 1944)

 1. Private Francis ('Frank') Newall, Border Regiment
[Photograph courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News']
 2. Headstone of Pte. Frank Newall, Border Regiment
(Lille Southern Cemetery, Grave Ref.: 5 / A / 21)
[Photograph taken with permission]
 3. St John's Parish Church, Hensingham, Cumbria 
[Where Frank Newall was baptised (06/04/1919)]
4. St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby, Cumbria
[Where Frank Newall married Jessie Agnew (1942)]
5. John Young Charlton and Frank Newall
(with an unidentified relative in Naval uniform)
[Photograph contributed by Valerie Stephenson]
For additional information click on 'Comments' below. ===================================

6 Comments:

Blogger ritsonvaljos said...

Additional information

Some biographical information

Private Francis ('Frank') Newall (1919 - 1944) [Photograph No. 1] from Cleator Moor, Cumberland (now Cumbria) served in the army for approximately five years during WW2. He was accidentally killed a the age of 25 on 27 December 1944 while serving in Belgium (although the CWGC citation incorrectly gives his age as 24). He is buried in Lille Southern Cemetery (Nord), France (Grave Reference: 5 / A / 21) [Photograph No. 2].

Private Frank Newall was born at Padstow, near Cleator Moor, Cumberland) in 1919, the third son of Frank Newall (Snr.) and Isabella Newall (nee Burns). Frank Newall (Jnr.) was baptised into the Church of England on 6 April 1919 at St John's Parish Church, Hensingham, near Whitehaven, Cumberland by Reverend E. Freeman [Photograph No. 3]. This was the parish where his parents had been married in 1910 although in a different church building. The foundation stone for the building seen in the photograph was laid by the Countess of Lonsdale on 7 November 1911.

The Newall family subsequently moved to No. 4 The Crescent, Cleator Moor, on the western side of town. Frank Newall (Snr.) was employed as a farm labourer. When Frank (Jnr.) started work it was also in the agricultural sector. For three years he was a lorry driver for the West Cumberland Farmers Trading society (an agricultural co-operative). During the war, in addition to Frank, three other brothers served in the Armed Forces.

On 5 August 1942, Private Frank Newall married Miss Jessie Agnew at St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby, Cumberland [Photograph No. 4.]. The witnesses at the wedding were Alfred Wilson and Martha Agnew and the religious ceremony was performed by the Reverend Charles E. Nurse, Vicar of St Nicholas' Church, Whitehaven. Frank and Jessie' daughter, Barbara Isabel Newall, was born on 15 February 1944 and baptised at St Bridget's Church, Moresby on 6 May 1944 by the Reverend F.W. Coles.

Mrs Isabella Newall, the mother of Private Frank Newall, passed away in 1940 at the age of 50. Her husband, Frank Newall (Snr.) passed away in October 1965, aged 85. They were laid to rest in Hensingham Churchyard, Whitehaven.
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The dark days of December 1944

According to Private Frank Newall's obituary, which appeared in the local newspaper 'The Whitehaven News' (Thursday, 25 January 1945), earlier in the war he had been at Dunkirk. Having taken part in the Normandy Landings, Frank Newall had eventually made it to Belgium.

He died of injuries accidentally sustained in Belgium. His final resting place at Lille is just across the Franco-Belgian border. These were the dark days of winter. It was a particularly difficult time in Belgium with the wintry weather conditions and the German assault that became known as the 'Battle of the Bulge'.

Private Newall's death came just a few days after the death of his cousin, Private John Young Charlton, 1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. He was also killed serving with the army in N.W. Europe. Private Charlton, of Winder, near Arlecdon, Cumberland, was killed on 2 December 1944 and is buried at Swartbroek Churchyard, Limburg, Netherlands (see details below).
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Saturday, 14 June, 2014  
Blogger ritsonvaljos said...

CWGC citations for Private Frank Newall

Below is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation for Private Francis ('Frank') Newall:

Name: NEWALL, FRANCIS
Rank: Private
Service No: 3600727
Date of Death: 27/12/1944
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Border Regiment, 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: Plot 5. Row A. Grave 21.
Cemetery: LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY, Nord (France)

Additional Information:
Son of Francis and Isabel Newall, of Whitehaven, Cumberland;
Husband of Jessie Newall, of Distington, Cumberland.
....................................

This is the epitaph written on his headstone:
"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember him."
--------------------

This is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation for Private Newall's kinsman (cousin), Private John Young Charlton:
Name: CHARLTON, JOHN YOUNG
Rank: Private
Service No: 14652667
Date of Death: 02/12/1944
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Monmouthshire Regiment, 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: Row 1. Grave 5A.
Cemetery: SWARTBROEK CHURCHYARD, Limburg, Netherlands.

Additional Information:
Son of John Young Charlton and Eleanor Charlton, of Winder, Cumberland.
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Saturday, 14 June, 2014  
Blogger ritsonvaljos said...

In Memoriam

The following 'In Memoriam' notices were placed in the 'Family Notices' (Roll of Honour) section of 'The Whitehaven News' in remembrance of Frank Newall and his cousin John Charlton:

(a) Thursday, 27 December 1945

Charlton and Newall -
"Treasured memories of my two nephews, John Charlton, who was killed on December 2nd, 1944 and Frank Newall, killed December 27th, 1944.

They gave their best,
Their unfinished life.

Always remembered by Aunty Mary, Bromley Cross, Bolton."
..............................

(b) Thursday, 27 December 1945

Newall -
"In loving memory of my dear husband, Frank, died in Western Europe, December 27th 1944.

Unseen, unheard, ever near,
Loved and remembered, ever dear,
His memory is my greatest treasure,
In my heart he will live forever.

Ever remembered by his loving wife and little daughter, Barbara."
..............................

(c) Thursday, 17 January 1946

Newall and Charlton -

In affectionate remembrance of our two dear nephews, Franky Newall, The Crescent, Cleator Moor and John Charlton, Winder Station, who lost their lives in the war, December 1944.

'Tis sweet to know we'll meet again
Where partings are no more,
And that the ones we loved so well
Have only gone on before."

Fondly remembered by Aunt Jane, Summer Grove and Aunt Catherine, Hensingham."
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Saturday, 14 June, 2014  
Blogger ritsonvaljos said...

Dedication

"Say not in grief 'he is no more' but in thankfulness that he was".
(Hebrew Proverb)

This article is dedicated to the memory of Private Frank Newall, Border Regiment (1919 - 1944).
-----------------------

Acknowledgements

'The Whitehaven News'

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Cumbria County Archives & Local Studies Centre,
Whitehaven Records Office,
Scotch Street,
WHITEHAVEN, Cumbria, U.K

Lille Southern Cemetery (Cimetière du Sud)
Lille, Nord, France.
++++++++++++++

Saturday, 14 June, 2014  
Blogger Val said...

Here are pictures of Francis Newall, John Young Charlton and seaman relation .. unknown identity

Friday, 21 November, 2014  
Blogger ritsonvaljos said...

Photograph No 5 (above) is the one contributed by Valerie which shows John Young Charlton, Frank Newall and another, as yet, unidentified relative (in the Naval uniform).

Thanks for this contribution, Valerie.
.......................

Friday, 12 December, 2014  

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