Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Frank John Flitney (553)

1898 –26/08/1931

Served with Hertfordshire Regiment in WWI - honourably discharged due to wounds or illness

Relatives

William Flitney (608) — father

Mary Flitney — mother

William Flitney — brother

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 553 Frank (Francis) John Flitney (1898-1933)

Francis, who always seems to have been known as Frank, was born in 1898 in Northchurch, the son of Mary Ann and William Flitney. His father was a labourer and Frank had two elder brothers and five elder sisters, although his eldest brother Fred had left home to join the Army before he was born.

In 1901 the family were living at 3, Eddy Street. William was a labourer in a nursery

In 1911 Frank was still at school and was living with his family at 38, Shrublands Avenue. His father was employed as a labourer in a nursery, his elder brother was a stoker at a brewery, his mother worked as a laundress and his three sisters all worked at the mantle manufactory in Lower King’s Road.

On 5 June 1915 Frank enlisted and served as a private in the 1^st Hertfordshire Battalion. He was discharged aged 21 on 4 April 1919. Unfortunately details of his war record have not been found. However, from the record of the 1^st Herts it is likely that he saw action in the Battle of Loos, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Ancre and the 3^rd Battle of Ypres. On 3 July 1917 at Ypres “Advancing over the Steenbeek towards the Langemarck Line, the battalion suffered increasingly heavy casualties from enemy machine-gun fire. On reaching the enemy wire it was found to have been undamaged by the artillery bombardment and the battalion was forced to fall back under heavy fire and strong German counterattacks. Every officer was a casualty, eleven of whom including the commanding officer were killed, while the other ranks suffered 459 casualties.”  The Battalion had suffered so much that it had to be reconstituted with men from the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1918. “On 23 August it took part in the assault on Achiet-le-Grand and [in] September… the battalion was employed in the fighting for the Hindenburg Line. On 8 October it was involved in the Second Battle of Cambrai, and took part in the subsequent pursuit of German forces to the River Selle. On 4 November 1918, in its final action of the war, the 1/1st Hertfordshire Regiment took part in forcing the enemy’s positions to advance into the Forêt de Mormal. On the date of the Armistice the battalion was in reserve, and it remained in France prior to completing demobilization in April 1919.” [Quotes from Wikipedia].

Frank was awarded the Silver War Badge and Victory Medal. It is not clear whether he was wounded or became unwell, but the 1921 census return shows him living with his parents and unmarried sister Elsie at 38, Shrublands Avenue and notes that he was, “Pensioned. Invalided out of the army.”

In 1922 Frank married Margaret E Swiffin in Berkhamsted. Their son Donald was born 26 July 1922, and Raymond 24 December 1923.

Frank died 26 August 1931 aged only 33, possibly from the effects of his military service.

His brother William, who died in 1944, is buried here with him.

Their parents, both of whom died in 1931, are buried in plot 608.

William Flitney

27/08/1879 –30/08/1944

Second son of William and Mary Flitney - a stoker at Benskins brewery

Relatives

Frank John Flitney (553) — brother

Mary Flitney — mother

William Flitney (608) — father

• Melanie Hilton

Plot 553 William Flitney (1879-1944)

William was born in Berkhamsted 27 August 1879, the second son of Mary Ann and William Flitney. At the time his father was a “general domestic servant” and the family lived in George Street.

By 1891 his elder brother had left home to join the Army and four of his sisters had been born. The family lived in Eddy Street and William senior was working as a labourer.

The 1901 census records that William had become a brewer’s labourer and was living at home at 3, Eddy Street with his parents, five sisters and young brother Frank.

William was never to marry and in 1911 was living with his parents and unmarried siblings at 48, Shrublands Avenue. He was employed as a stoker.

He left Berkhamsted to work in Watford for Benskins brewery as a stoker. In 1921 he was lodging at 32, Cannons Road, Watford with the Hawkes family, whose head was a motor driver at the brewery.

The 1939 Register shows him lodging with Emily and Ellen Jenner at 51, York Road, Watford and states that he was “Stoker in brewery – heavy work” (Those engaged in very heavy physical work were noted on the Register as they would be entitled to extra food rations.)

William was still lodging at York Road when he was admitted to The Peace Memorial Hospital, Watford where he died 30 August 1944 aged 64. He left just over £1,000 in his will.

He is buried here with his younger brother Frank who died in 1933. Their parents, both of whom died in 1931, are buried in plot 608.