LANE, Francis

Francis (Frank) Lane was born in Cradley Road, Old Hill, in 1889 and his father was a foreman at an iron foundry at Cradley Heath. He was married to Hannah, probably not long before leaving for the Front in 1918 and they lived at Holly House, 24 Ivy House Lane, Coseley. He enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery and served in “C” Battery, 34th Brigade, in France at the 2nd Battle of the Somme in 1918. It was a long retreat across the old battlefield but eventually the enemy was halted. After reorganisation they took part in the Advance to Victory and in September they took part in the assault on the Hindenburg Line. The Hindenburg Line was now breached in a number of places and the British advanced in pursuit of the German Army. There was still an enemy to be overcome and Gunner Francis Lane was killed in action on 16th October 1918, just a few weeks before the end of the war. He was 29 years of age and is buried in Inchy Communal Cemetery Extension (B 18) near Le Cateau and commemorated on the Sedgley Memorial.