460 of 876 326846 Pte Frank Riseley ‘A’ Company 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment Died 26th September 1917 age 22

The following story was given to us to use by Mary Flinders Secretary of The Eltisley History Society Son of William Riseley a Blacksmith and his wife Annie. Frank was born on 4th January 1895 and had two sisters May and Kate and two brothers Kay and Henry.

He enlisted in January 1916 at St Neots into ‘A’ Company 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment. He enlisted the same day as two other Eltisley boys Alick Childerley and Sidney George Hayden (560 of 876) the three of them had know each other all their lives. Frank and Sidney were born on the same day.

Frank and Alick were wounded at the Battle of the Schwaben Redoubt Frank being sent to England and Alick to France to recover. Franks wounds were severe and did not return to the front until four months later. Alick had shrapnel wounds to the head and was discharged from the army on February 1917

Pte Riseley was killed during The Third Battle of Ypres. The war diary for 26th September says that at 0300 that morning all the men were given a water bottle filled with hot tea. At 0550 the covering barrage opened and the advance commenced. ‘A’ Company Franks company had no difficulty keeping up to the barrage but ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies were having difficulties crossing the bog, many men becoming stuck in the mud.  A’ company Captain Ford was killed and they held the line at the southern end of Tower Trench.

On 12th July 1918 the St Neots Advertiser reported that Franks father had received a letter:

Sir It is my painful duty to inform you that no further news having been received relative to your son, Frank Riseley, Cambs, Regt. Who has been missing since September 26th 1917 , the Army Council have been regretfully constrained to conclude that he is dead, and that his death took place on that day Your obedient servant

R W Kenam, Captain

On 9th august 1916 Frank had written in his Will in his Army Pay Book, on page 13 ‘In the event of my death I give the whole of my property and effects to my mother

Pte Riseley was awarded the British and Victory Medals

Pte Frank Riseley is remembered with honour at Tyne Cot Memorial

Keith Wainwright