3740 Pte. Frank Nicholls, a miner from Brampton, died of wounds in the 7th General Hospital on 8th December and was buried in LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY. He was 21 years old and the son of Edmund and Elizabeth Nicholls of 1 the fold, Chatsworth Rd., Chesterfield.

Frank enlisted on January 29th 1915 and trained with the 3/6th Reserve Battalion before being posted to the 1/6th Battalion in France. He arrived in France with the 6th Reinforcement on 4th March 1916 and joined the 1/6th Battalion ‘in the field’ on the 16th March.

He was scalded on the right foot by tea on the 29th April 1917 and after being admitted to the 1/3 NMFA, 58 CCS and 14 General Hospital (Wimereux) he was eventually transferred to England on 17th May 1917. He received treatment in Evington Military Hospital in Leicester before being discharged from Hospital on the 18th July.

After being discharged Frank was posted to the Regimental Depot in Ripon and then the 5th Reserve Battalion. He returned to France on the 10th September 1917 with the 40th Reinforcement and was initially posted to the 14 IBD before taken on strength of the 1/6th Battalion.

Frank received a gun shot wound in the head on 24th November that caused a severe skull fracture. He was admitted to the 1st NMFA and transferred to the 7th General Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds on the 8th December.

Frank was the only fatal casualty for that particular trench duty.