Manning

Frank Manning

Appears as:

Born:

Parents:

Unit:

No.:

Rank:

Died:

Grave/Memorial:

Manning, T

1892, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

William & Sophia (née Last)

1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

S.4863

Private

30 October 1914, Ypres, Belgium age 22

Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 13

Biography:
Frank Manning was born, in 1892, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. He was the son, and youngest of nine children, of William
Shadrach, a maltster, & Sophia Ellen (née Last). Frank’s parents were both born in and married in Suffolk. William moved to
Burton on Trent in about 1873. In about 1890 he moved to Cheltenham and he finally arrived in Woking in about 1900, living in
Robin Hood Road, St John’s.

After he left school, Frank Manning was working as a general labourer.

Frank served with The 1st Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, as part of the British Expeditionary Force. They
landed at Le Havre on 13 August 1914.

The 1st Battalion participated in the retreat from Mons and the First Battle of Ypres, suffering heavy casualties. On 29 October,
during the 1st Battle of Ypres, the 1st Queen's arrived at Gheluvelt to support the 2nd Battalion of the regiment. The following day
the 2nd Queen's retired and, on the 31 October the Germans launched a strong attack on Gheluvelt. After fierce fighting, the 1st Battalion was decimated.

Frank Manning was reported missing, presumed killed, on 30 October 1914 near Ypres, Belgium. His final resting place is
unknown; his name, along with others of his regiment, appears on panel 13 of the Menin Gate Memorial.

Frank is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Woking Town Square and on the Goldsworth Nursery Memorial.

The battles of the Ypres Salient claimed many lives on both sides and it quickly became clear that the commemoration of members of the Commonwealth
forces with no known grave would have to be divided between several different sites. The Menin Gate Memorial commemorates those of all Commonwealth
nations, except New Zealand, who died in the Salient - in the case of United Kingdom, casualties before 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions).