Hull Pals Memorial Post. Private, FRANK COCKERILL 12/1275. Born in 1891, Frank was the eldest of three sons to Albert Cockerill (1866-1928) and Margaret Walker (1872-1914), of 231, Wincolmlee, Hull and 5, Oak Terrace, Swann Street, Hull (War pension Address). One of seven children, four sisters and two brothers. All three sons were killed in the war.
An Oil Miller by trade, he was 5 foot, 3.75 inches tall, 35-37 inch chest, tattoos on both arms.
He enlisted at Hull City Hall on 28th December 1914, aged 22, joining the 12th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, ‘The Sportsmen’, 3rd Hull Pals. He served in Egypt and France. Killed in action, on 16/08/1916, aged 25.
There’s nothing in his record to state as much, but a coincidence of this magnitude is hard to ignore. Frank and William Clark were both Oil Millers, a similar age, and both died on the same day, 16th August 1916. I just can’t escape the feeling they died together in that same “shellfire”. Both are buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery;
His grave inscription, reads, “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON FROM FATHER & FAMILY GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN”
Francis lost both brothers in the war – Private, Albert Cockerill, 71886, MGC, on 30/12/1916, aged 20 and Private, Edward Cockerill, 22643, EYR, on 15/06/1917, aged 18.
