HAMMOND, David 'Frank' Elmer


No.10236, Sergeant, Frank David HAMMOND
Aged 22


8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
Killed in Action on Monday 16th October 1916


Born David Frank Elmer HAMMOND in 1894 (2nd qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a: 751) son of George H and Anne Elizabeth HAMMOND (née EDHOUSE). His mother had died in 1896.

1891 census... His father George HAMMOND [47] labourer; mother Annie E [32]; sisters lily L [11] and Breatrice D [3]; brothers Georgge S [7] and John S [1] were at 142 Cemetery Road. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds 1901 census...Aged 6, he was at 23 Cannon Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his grandmother Mary A EDHOUSE [70] tailoress; his uncle Percy A EDHOUSE [22] railway goods porter born St.Leonards on Sea, Sussex. His father was at 4 Raingate Court with his sister Beatrice and brothers John and Bertie [9].

1911 census...Aged 18 [sic], he was at the Suffolk Regiment Depot, Out Risbygate Street, Bury St.Edmunds, a Private (Special Reservist) in the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. His father was at 3 Lion Court with his brother John, in 1916 at 77 Southgate Street, later at 39 or 42 Raingate Street.


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. Yet to be found is when he transferred from Suffolks to Bedfordshire. His medal index cards shows he was with the 2nd Bedfords when they first arrived in France on 7th October 1914. Again we do not know whe he was transferred to the 8th Bedfordshires. The 8th were involved in the battle of the Somme at Flers-Courcelette, and at Morval in September and the Battle of Le Transloy in October 1916. The battalion war diary for the 16th has:-
Trenches east of Gueudecourt
16 Oct 1916... In trenches as above. Clear sky most of day, aircraft very active resulting in less hostile shelling during daylight. Intense hostile shelling for half an hour commenced at 5.45 pm. casualties 4 O.R. killed and 4 wounded. Another German sniper shot down

For those interested specifically in the Bedfordshire regiment, the website www.bedfordregiment.org.uk is excellent on all aspects of the regiment's history




The Army were accustomed to losing men to the enemy, but they could also do it with their own paperwork
The reason Frank does not have the clasp to his 1914 Star is more than likely due to his relatives not claiming it
Inaugurated in 1919, the clasp had to be claimed to check that the man was within the range of enemy guns before 22 November 1914


Frank Hammond is buried in Bancourt British Cemetery, France 4:L:10

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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