BORN HULL 1896. SON OF CHARLES HENRY WILLOUGHBY (1864-1959) & EMILY WILLOUGHBY (1862-1939), OF 21 NEW KING STREET, CHARLES STREET, HULL AND LATER 57 BRUNSWICK AVENUE, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). SON OF A BUILDER. YOUNGEST OF FOUR SONS. BROTHERS – HARRY, WALLACE AND STANLEY ALSO SERVED. FRANCIS WILLOUGHBY, KNOWN AS “FRANK”, WAS EMPLOYED AS A CLERK IN THE ENGINE’S DEPARTMENT, FOR THE HULL & BARNSLEY RAILWAY LINE. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT 8 INCHES TALL, WITH A 34 INCH CHEST, WEIGHED 118 LBS WITH A ‘FAIR’ PHYSIQUE.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 24/11/1915. MOBILIZED FOR SERVICE ON 21/01/1916. TRAINED AS BRIGADE GRENADE THROWER AT RUGLEY PARK FROM 03/05/1916. POSTED TO FRANCE ON 23/06/1916. JOINED 1ST EYR, ‘B’ COMPANY, ON 10/07/1916. WOUNDED IN ACTION ON 14/07/1916 (SPRAINED WRIST AND SHELL SHOCK). POSTED TO 7TH EYR ON 10/08/1916. DIED IN THE FIELD ON 07/11/1916, WITH A NERVOUS CEREBRAL HAEMORAGE. HIS BODY WAS NEVER FOUND AND HE IS COMMEMORATED AT THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING. HE WAS 21 YEARS OLD. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS MOTHER EMILY, WHO MOVED TO 21 NEW KING STREET, HULL (HDM, 04/12/1916)
NB: EDGAR WILLOUGHBY, RAF -151 WHARNCLIFFE STREET, HULL; GEORGE & HERBERT WILLOUGHBY – 59 MANCHESTER STREET, HULL; JOHN & JOE WILLOUGHBY- GILLETT STREET, HULL.
