Rifleman Frank Hamlyn
1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: 20 May 1885
Place of Birth: West Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 14 October 1918 in France, aged 33
Buried: Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Belgium. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James' Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon.
Awarded the 1914 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Rifleman Frank Hamlyn age 33.
Born on 20 May 1885 and baptised on 24 June the son of Henry, a labourer, and Harriet Hamlyn of Globe Lane, West Teignmouth. In 1891 he was shown on the census at 2 Mulberry Street, West Teignmouth living with his parents and siblings.
1901 showed him living as a servant to a farmer at 2 Exeter Road. By 1911 he was living back in Mulberry Street with his parents and working as a dock labourer. He was the husband of Ellen, née Knapman of Kingsteignton; they married in 1915 and had one son, Francis G. (Frank).
Frank enlisted with 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment at the beginning of 1904 and had been on reserved service in 1914. He would have re-joined his regiment in August 1914 arriving with them in France and entering the war on 22August 1914. He then served throughout the war being wounded six times.
On 14 July 1916 whilst serving with 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, service number 7616, Frank was admitted to No. 34 Casualty Clearing Station with gunshot wounds to his right hand he was then transferred the same day to 104 TAT (Temporary Ambulance Train) and then to UK. On recovery he was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles,
Frank was serving with "D" Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, service number 44378, when he was killed in action south of Dadizeele, in the battle known as the Fifth Battle of Ypres, on 14 October 1918. Reburied in Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Belgium. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James' Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon.
