Frank's Story.
Sergeant Frank Greenwood died on 22nd October 1917, aged 27. He is commemorated at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
What do we know about Frank?
He was born on 13th August 1890, in Betchton, the youngest son of William Greenwood and Frances (Fanny) Moulton, and was one of their eleven children. He had six brothers and four sisters. The 1891 census shows the family living at Lawton Heath Road, Betchton. His father, who had been born in Haslington, worked for the railway as a platelayer. By 1901, the family home was in Wesley Street, Alsager. Frank, aged 11, was still at school. By the time he was 17, Frank was in the army, serving as a private in the 2nd Btn Cheshire Regiment. The 1911 census records him aged 21 years old at The Ridge, Jubbulpore, now known as Jabalpur. This city is on the banks of the Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.
By the winter of 1914, Frank was invalided home from France with severe frostbite but by 16th January 1915, Frank he had returned to the front. On 4th December that year, he became a corporal in the 16th Battalion. The following year, 1916, he survived partial burial in the aftermath of a shell burst. On 13th April 1917, Frank was promoted to sergeant. According to the newspaper report below, he had turned down the offer of a commission in January 1917.
Frank was killed in action six months later, on 22nd October 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. The 16th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Birkenhead Bantams) went over the top at 5:35am. Initially, the attack went well and on the right, the objective, Marechel Farm was taken. However, those in the middle and on the left were held up by machine gun fire from a blockhouse 500 yards to the north. The battalion was forced to dig in at this point. At 4:39pm, the Germans launched a counter attack and broke through the battalion's positions forcing them to pull back. By dusk they had withdrawn to their original positions. Frank has no known grave, so his body may never have been recovered.
He was single, and his mother Fanny was the sole legatee shown on the Soldier's Effects Record.
In June 1920, a memorial was unveiled in Alsager to remember those who had died in WW1. Frank's name appears on the front of the memorial.
Frank's father died in 1928. His older brother Enoch, born 6th December 1884, also served as a soldier but survived the war. He died in 1962. His brother Aaron married Selina Booth. His sister Lily (born 11th March 1893) married Henry Wilshaw in 1916.
Research by Shena Lewington (July 2026)
He was born on 13th August 1890, in Betchton, the youngest son of William Greenwood and Frances (Fanny) Moulton, and was one of their eleven children. He had six brothers and four sisters. The 1891 census shows the family living at Lawton Heath Road, Betchton. His father, who had been born in Haslington, worked for the railway as a platelayer. By 1901, the family home was in Wesley Street, Alsager. Frank, aged 11, was still at school. By the time he was 17, Frank was in the army, serving as a private in the 2nd Btn Cheshire Regiment. The 1911 census records him aged 21 years old at The Ridge, Jubbulpore, now known as Jabalpur. This city is on the banks of the Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.
By the winter of 1914, Frank was invalided home from France with severe frostbite but by 16th January 1915, Frank he had returned to the front. On 4th December that year, he became a corporal in the 16th Battalion. The following year, 1916, he survived partial burial in the aftermath of a shell burst. On 13th April 1917, Frank was promoted to sergeant. According to the newspaper report below, he had turned down the offer of a commission in January 1917.
Frank was killed in action six months later, on 22nd October 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. The 16th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Birkenhead Bantams) went over the top at 5:35am. Initially, the attack went well and on the right, the objective, Marechel Farm was taken. However, those in the middle and on the left were held up by machine gun fire from a blockhouse 500 yards to the north. The battalion was forced to dig in at this point. At 4:39pm, the Germans launched a counter attack and broke through the battalion's positions forcing them to pull back. By dusk they had withdrawn to their original positions. Frank has no known grave, so his body may never have been recovered.
He was single, and his mother Fanny was the sole legatee shown on the Soldier's Effects Record.
In June 1920, a memorial was unveiled in Alsager to remember those who had died in WW1. Frank's name appears on the front of the memorial.
Frank's father died in 1928. His older brother Enoch, born 6th December 1884, also served as a soldier but survived the war. He died in 1962. His brother Aaron married Selina Booth. His sister Lily (born 11th March 1893) married Henry Wilshaw in 1916.
Research by Shena Lewington (July 2026)