Frank Armitage, the father of four young children all under the age of six years lived at 13 Blucher Street in Barnsley, Yorkshire. When he was killed on the Somme on September 28, 1916, his wife Marion, aged 28, was left to raise the Armitage children alone..... Marjorie, Joseph, Clifford, Roy and later, her nephew Reginald. Frank's family in Barnsley commemorated his life by placing his name on the headstone of his father, Joseph Armitage, in Barnsley Cemetery. His youngest son Roy, 18 months old when Frank was killed in action, emigrated to Canada in 1953.. In 2013 Frank's Canadian descendants visited his French grave in Connaught Cemetery near Thiepval, and his Gt.-Gt. Grandchildren from Alberta mixed soil from their gardens with the soil of France. In October 2014 another branch of Canadian grandchildren will visit the cemetery. Frank's name, one of 180 chosen for that purpose, was read out on August 5, 2014 at the inaugural Honor Roll ceremony held at sunset at the Tower of London. It was followed by the Last Post. We salute and honor the four children of Frank and Marion Armitage whose lives were well lived.

Jacqueline Polowy