Frank Buttress: 190th Siege Battery RGA.

British War Medal 1914 - 1920.
Victory Medal.
Memorial Plaque.
61686 Gnr. F. D. Buttress, Royal Garrison Artillery.

William Harding Buttress married Annie Olivia Dunnicliff in 1891. Their first child, Ada Olivia, was born in 1894. Three years later, Frank Dunnicliff Buttress, their only son, was born in Aston, Birmingham. According to the 1901 Census, the family resided at 5 Fentham Road, Handsworth and William, now 36 years old, was employed as a Jeweller's traveller. Sadly, William died in 1905, leaving Annie to bring up the two children on her own and, at some point in the next few years, the family moved to 41 Crompton Road, Handsworth.

On 30th October 1915, Frank, now aged 19 and employed as a clerk, enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery and, after basic training, embarked at Southampton on 17th May 1916 for overseas service, initially with the 106th Siege Battery. During his time on the Western Front he suffered from impetigo and spent several spells in hospital, firstly in July - August 1916 and then from mid November 1916 till early 1917, when he spent time at the 16th General Hospital at Le Treport. On 9th January 1917, Frank was sent back to duty but was soon in hospital again, this time at the 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples, suffering from ICT (inflamed connective tissue) of the right hand. On 28th February, he was sent back to England on board the hospital ship "SS Brighton" and, in April, he was posted to the Siege Artillery Depot at Stowlangtoft in Suffolk.

On 25th June 1917, Frank again proceeded overseas and served for a while with the 126th Siege Battery. Early in 1918, he was again hospitalised at the 1st Southern General Hospital in Stourbridge, this time with ICT of the legs. On 6th May, he had recovered enough to be returned to France, joining the 190th Siege Battery on 21st May.

Two months later, on 29th July 1918, Frank Dunnicliff Buttress was killed in action. He was just 21 years old. He was buried in plot II C 5 in Hagle Dump Cemetery 7.5 km west of Ypres. Interestingly, in plot II B 6, lie the remains of 56943 Gunner Albert John Edmunds, also of the 190th Siege Battery, who was killed on the same day as Frank.

A few months later, some of Frank's personal possessions - letters, photos, three wallets, a book of poems, a cigarette case, a match-box and various cards - were returned to his mother in Handsworth. In September 1921, Annie Buttress wrote to the Royal Garrison Artillery Records Office in Dover enquiring about Frank's medals, which she had not yet received. In December, she acknowledged receipt of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Annie Buttress died at the age of 77 in Birmingham in 1939. Frank's sister, Ada, lived till the age of 81, dying in Malvern in 1976.