Frank's Story.
Born in the spring of 1900 Frank was one of eight children of John and Emma Steer of 38 Belle Vue Road, Wallasey, the 1901 census which was taken on the 31st March shows his father John age 36 who was from Cutcombe, Somerset, and working as a blacksmith, his mother Emma age 35 was from New Zealand. The family had moved around their eldest son John age 15 was born in Ilfracombe, Devon he was working as bicycle shop assistant, Ella age 13 born in Swansea as had Lucy age 11, Edward age 10 in Ilfracombe, and then Thomas age 6, Charlotte age 2 and Frank 11 months all born in Seacombe, Cheshire. By 1911 the family had moved 13 Hood Street, Wallasey, it shows that one of the children had died, John is the only one not listed, John senior was now working as Railway Porter and Frank age 11 has a younger brother Ernest age 4.
The 13th Battalion is also known as the Wirral battalion, it was formed at Port Sunlight on the 1st September 1914 by Gershom Stewart MP, In October 1914 it came under the orders of 74th Brigade and by December 1914 was in billets in Bournemouth. In May 1915, they moved to Aldershot.
It is not known exactly what date Frank enlisted but it would be a fair assumption that it was early and he may have only been 14 at the time. The 13th Cheshire’s with Frank crossed the channel on the RMS Victoria landing at Le Havre on the 25th September 1915. By the 3rd October 1915 they did their first tour in the trenches. Frank would still be 15.
On the 6th July 1916, the battalion occupied the trenches in the village of La Boisselle on Friday the 7th they attacked the war diary reads:
Over the parapet at 8.5am after suffering severe casualties we reached our objective and consolidated. A number of prisoners and war material fell into our hands, Casualties on this day very heavy, 18 officers and 243 other ranks.
Frank had turned 16 in April.
Franks body was not recovered and so he is named on Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3 C and 4 A
Cheshire Roll of Honour would like to thank Michael Steer, Franks Great Nephew for the picture.