FRANK STUART/STEWART WESTWOOD
Regimental No. 63697
2 June 1887 - 26 August 1918
Frank Stuart/Stewart WESTWOOD was born on 2 June 1887 in Hendon, Middlesex, younger son of Walter John and Elizabeth (known as Lizzie, nee Buckley). He appears to have been baptised very promptly at the local church - St Mary's - on 15 June. The family were living at Church End, Hendon at the time. Frank had an older brother, James Albert (known as Albert or Bertie) who was born in 1886 in Berkshire, England. In the national census conducted in early 1891 the family of four were living in Hendon and Walters occupation was compositor. On 15 July 1895 the family sailed on the Gothic to Wellington. On the passenger list Walter is described as 35 years old, a printer, and his wife, Mrs Westwood is 31, Bertie is nine and Frank is said to be seven, though he would have just turned eight at the time of departure.
On arrival in Wellington the family lived in Dixon Street and Walter was employed as a printer. By 1898 the family was living at 21 Karepa Street, Brooklyn and Walters father had become a grocer. Albert and Frank attended Mt Cook Boys’ School from May to November 1898 and then moved to Brooklyn School in 1899, presumably once the family had moved to Brooklyn.
When Frank left school he became a grocer’s assistant, working for his father who on the Wellington South Electoral Rolls for 1911 and 1914 was a grocer. By the time Frank enlisted in the army in 1917 he had become a driver, still working for his grocer father.
Frank was on the Reserve list in 1916 and called up for service in 1917. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment on 16 July 1917 and received the regimental number 63697. Frank was described as single, birth date 2 June 1888[1]; ‘apparent age’ 29 years 1 month old, 5 feet 7½ inches tall and weighing 147 pounds. His medical report stated he was Fit A although his second toe overrode the great toe which was not sufficient to cause rejection. Also that he was a somewhat ‘facile’ man mentally, suggesting that he presented at his medical examination as not especially bright. He had fair complexion, blue-grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was Church of England.
Frank was in Wellington until 21 November 1917 when he embarked on the Maunganui for Liverpool, disembarking there on 8 January 1918. From Liverpool Frank was in training at Sling Camp in Wiltshire until 20 March 1918 when he left for the Somme, France. For the next five months he would have been involved in action on the Somme, and finally, during the Battle of Bapume which was launched in August 1918 he was wounded in action on 23 August 1918, receiving a gunshot wound to the abdomen and admitted to a casualty clearing station. Frank’s military personnel file provides no information as to his precise location when he was wounded, but it does state Frank died of his wounds three days later on 26 August 1918 at No.3 Casualty Clearing Station in the village of Gezaincourt. He was 29 years old. Frank was buried on 6 September 1918 at Bagneux British Cemetery on the outskirts of Gezaincourt. His grave number is 1051/16, V1. C. 32. John Victor Roberts (Roseneath Memorial) who was serving with the NZ Field Artillery was killed the day after Frank and he too ended up in Bagneux British Cemetery. Karl Pedersen (Makara Memorial) had also been buried there three months previously.
There are 1,374 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery, which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Gezaincourt is a village situated 2 Kms to the south-west of the town of Doullens. Bagneux British Cemetery lies to the south of the village. There is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission signpost in Gezaincourt village opposite the "Chateau" entrance. The cemetery is accessed via a rough country track and lies on a slope with a view into the Ancre Valley. It is now a quiet, peaceful rural setting.
Frank’s service entitled him to the British War and Victory medals, these going to his mother Lizzie in 1922. His plaque and scroll went to his father, Walter, in 1923. The family were still resident in Karepa Street at the time but by 1928 Walter and Lizzie had moved to Otaki where they stayed. Lizzie died in 1931, and Walter in 1940. Frank had also made a Will while at Sling Camp in which he left all his belongings to his mother.
Frank’s brother, James Albert, is also commemorated on the Brooklyn war memorial. Albert served from 27 June 1916 to 23 December 1918 and returned unscathed to his wife Jane and daughter Lucia in November 1919.
Research conducted by Ann Walker with supplementary input by Barbara Mulligan and Zane Kidd.
SOURCES
Archives New Zealand: http://archway.archives.govt.nz
Auckland Museum Cenotaph Database: http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/locations
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: http://www.cwgc.org
UK BMDs Ref. 3a/200 for birth date
[1] As is often the case, birth dates can be recorded incorrectly, either through clerical error or by the individual deliberately or forgetfully stating their details correctly. In Frank’s case, there is evidence his correct birth date was 2 June 1887.
Regimental No. 63697
2 June 1887 - 26 August 1918
Frank Stuart/Stewart WESTWOOD was born on 2 June 1887 in Hendon, Middlesex, younger son of Walter John and Elizabeth (known as Lizzie, nee Buckley). He appears to have been baptised very promptly at the local church - St Mary's - on 15 June. The family were living at Church End, Hendon at the time. Frank had an older brother, James Albert (known as Albert or Bertie) who was born in 1886 in Berkshire, England. In the national census conducted in early 1891 the family of four were living in Hendon and Walters occupation was compositor. On 15 July 1895 the family sailed on the Gothic to Wellington. On the passenger list Walter is described as 35 years old, a printer, and his wife, Mrs Westwood is 31, Bertie is nine and Frank is said to be seven, though he would have just turned eight at the time of departure.
On arrival in Wellington the family lived in Dixon Street and Walter was employed as a printer. By 1898 the family was living at 21 Karepa Street, Brooklyn and Walters father had become a grocer. Albert and Frank attended Mt Cook Boys’ School from May to November 1898 and then moved to Brooklyn School in 1899, presumably once the family had moved to Brooklyn.
When Frank left school he became a grocer’s assistant, working for his father who on the Wellington South Electoral Rolls for 1911 and 1914 was a grocer. By the time Frank enlisted in the army in 1917 he had become a driver, still working for his grocer father.
Frank was on the Reserve list in 1916 and called up for service in 1917. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment on 16 July 1917 and received the regimental number 63697. Frank was described as single, birth date 2 June 1888[1]; ‘apparent age’ 29 years 1 month old, 5 feet 7½ inches tall and weighing 147 pounds. His medical report stated he was Fit A although his second toe overrode the great toe which was not sufficient to cause rejection. Also that he was a somewhat ‘facile’ man mentally, suggesting that he presented at his medical examination as not especially bright. He had fair complexion, blue-grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was Church of England.
Frank was in Wellington until 21 November 1917 when he embarked on the Maunganui for Liverpool, disembarking there on 8 January 1918. From Liverpool Frank was in training at Sling Camp in Wiltshire until 20 March 1918 when he left for the Somme, France. For the next five months he would have been involved in action on the Somme, and finally, during the Battle of Bapume which was launched in August 1918 he was wounded in action on 23 August 1918, receiving a gunshot wound to the abdomen and admitted to a casualty clearing station. Frank’s military personnel file provides no information as to his precise location when he was wounded, but it does state Frank died of his wounds three days later on 26 August 1918 at No.3 Casualty Clearing Station in the village of Gezaincourt. He was 29 years old. Frank was buried on 6 September 1918 at Bagneux British Cemetery on the outskirts of Gezaincourt. His grave number is 1051/16, V1. C. 32. John Victor Roberts (Roseneath Memorial) who was serving with the NZ Field Artillery was killed the day after Frank and he too ended up in Bagneux British Cemetery. Karl Pedersen (Makara Memorial) had also been buried there three months previously.
There are 1,374 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery, which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Gezaincourt is a village situated 2 Kms to the south-west of the town of Doullens. Bagneux British Cemetery lies to the south of the village. There is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission signpost in Gezaincourt village opposite the "Chateau" entrance. The cemetery is accessed via a rough country track and lies on a slope with a view into the Ancre Valley. It is now a quiet, peaceful rural setting.
Frank’s service entitled him to the British War and Victory medals, these going to his mother Lizzie in 1922. His plaque and scroll went to his father, Walter, in 1923. The family were still resident in Karepa Street at the time but by 1928 Walter and Lizzie had moved to Otaki where they stayed. Lizzie died in 1931, and Walter in 1940. Frank had also made a Will while at Sling Camp in which he left all his belongings to his mother.
Frank’s brother, James Albert, is also commemorated on the Brooklyn war memorial. Albert served from 27 June 1916 to 23 December 1918 and returned unscathed to his wife Jane and daughter Lucia in November 1919.
Research conducted by Ann Walker with supplementary input by Barbara Mulligan and Zane Kidd.
SOURCES
Archives New Zealand: http://archway.archives.govt.nz
Auckland Museum Cenotaph Database: http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/locations
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: http://www.cwgc.org
UK BMDs Ref. 3a/200 for birth date
[1] As is often the case, birth dates can be recorded incorrectly, either through clerical error or by the individual deliberately or forgetfully stating their details correctly. In Frank’s case, there is evidence his correct birth date was 2 June 1887.