Lieutenant Edmund Lionel Frost

Frost, Edmund Lionel, Lieut. 4th Battalion. South Lancashire Regt. (T.F.), only son of Edmund Frost, of Chesterfield, Meads, Eastbourne, M.D., Master Surgeon., etc., by his wife, Mary Elizabeth, 2nd Daughter. Of the late Walter Theobolds, of Birkenhead, Cheshire; born Lasswade, Midlothian, 30th May, 1891; educated Dover College Junior School, and Uppingham, where he was a Praeposter, Captain of Games, Captain of the School Footballand Hockey teams, Captain of his House (Firecroft), and Champion Heavy Weight Boxer; and Trinity College, Cambridge. He passed his “Little Go” at the age of 16, but remained at Uppingham till old enough to go to Cambridge. He graduated with Honours in the Natural Sciences Tripos, 1912, and during his three years there, he obtained sixteen medals, two silver spoons, a cup, and three oars, for Boxing, Rifle and Revolver Shooting and Sports. He was the ‘Varsity champion heavy weight boxer in 1910, for which he received his half blue, and gained another half blue for Rifle Shooting. He only became a “wet bob” his last year, but so excellent an oarsman was he that he narrowly missed inclusion in the Cambridge Crew of that year; as it was, he was awarded the Trial Eights Cup. He was Captain of the ‘Varsity Revolver Team and obtained the ninth place in the International Revolver Championship, N.R.A., at Bisley in 1912; he made a remarkable record in marksmanship with a revolver, by scoring 82 out of apossible 84, under service conditions.

On leaving Cambridge he became actively associated with the firm of Messrs. Peter Stubs, Ltd., File and Steel and Tool Manufacturers, Warrington, of which his uncle, Mr F.A. Frost, was Chairman and Managing Director. The following year, 1913, he went to France with the object of perfecting his knowledge and coming into touch with the Continental trade of the Company. He received a commission in the 4th (Territorial) Battalion, South Lancashire Regt., 1st November 1912, and on the outbreak of war volunteered for foreign service, was promoted Lieutenant on 24th September 1914; went to France 11th February 1915 and was killed in action at Hooge, Flanders, 16th June 1915. On this occasion his Battalion, with three other regiments, assaulted the German position at Hooge, and carried three trenches at the point of the bayonet, and the Brigadier-General, addressing the Battalion after the battle, said; “The Battalion did splendidly. You have proved that the 4th South Lancashire’s can never be broken.” Lieutenant Frost was shot through the head,and though he lived three-quarters of an hour, never regained consciousness.

Hewas buried in Sanctuary Wood, near Ypres. Major Crosfield wrote: “I was speaking to him only ten minutes before, and though we were in the thick of it, he was just as bright and cheery as ever. The whole battalion mourns his loss.” The Reverend W. Bracecamp, Chaplain to the Battalion, wrote: “When the Battalion left to make the charge he was thoroughly cheery and said to me, ‘Good-bye, Padre, we shall soon meet again.’ Your son was one of the finest characters it has ever been my privilege to meet. He was beloved by officers and men alike. His fine physique, his noble character, endeared him to everybody. He was one of the noble fellows whose life could not be spared, but he has voluntarily laid it down in a noble cause for God, King and Country. ” Lieutenant Frost had travelled a great deal in company with his father, both in Europe, America and the Far West.

 

 

 

Andrew Lionel Shannon