L/Cpl
Frank Hake
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1882 |
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Place of birth: Corfe, Somerset, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 10 Eastbourne Gate, Taunton, Somerset, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Insurance Agent |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lance Corporal |
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Service number: 26640 |
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Enlistment place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Devonshire Regiment, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Cameron Covert, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 35 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 38 A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Lance Corporal Frank Hake was born in Corfe, Somerset. The insurance agent lived with his wife and four children in Taunton, Somerset. During the war, Frank enlisted at Bridgwater and was taken up by the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, part of the 95th Brigade of the 5th Division.
On 4 October 1917, the 5th Division took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, a stage in the Battle of Passchendaele. The 1st Devons remained in reserve until the night of 3 to 4 October, when they advanced to their assembly point just east of Veldhoek, between the Menin Road and Polygon Wood. The advance was difficult, 'the paths were slippery, the Germans shelled vigorously and there were many casualties'.
At 6am on 4 October 1917, the 5th Division attacked with the 13th and 95th Brigades. The 95th Brigade's attack, on the left, was carried by the 1st Devons and the 1st Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. The 1st East Surreys were in support and the 12th Gloucesters in reserve. The objective was Cameron Covert, a copse, north of Polgon Wood, dotted with shell holes and debris, whose trees had long since snapped like matches under the never-ending artillery fire. During the attack, the Devons had to keep in touch with the 13th Brigade on their right, whose objective were the heights at Polderhoek Château. The terrain was terrible. Deep and wide swamps meant the battalions had to swerve through no-man's land, which was full of German troops who had gathered for an attack of their own.
The 1st Devons managed to capture Cameron Covert, except for a swamp on the south side, which proved impassable. The link with the 13th Brigade on the right was lost, which continued its advance on the slopes of Polderhoek Château. The ruins of the castle were heavily fortified and lay on a ridge from which German machine guns could cover the area, including the only possible passage across the Reutelbeek stream. German resistance was too strong and the 13th Brigade had to fall back and dig in.
Casualties of the 1st Devons were high. 56 men were killed, 194 wounded, 53 were reported missing. Lance Corporal Frank Hake, 35, fell on 4 October 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, panel 38A.
On 4 October 1917, the 5th Division took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, a stage in the Battle of Passchendaele. The 1st Devons remained in reserve until the night of 3 to 4 October, when they advanced to their assembly point just east of Veldhoek, between the Menin Road and Polygon Wood. The advance was difficult, 'the paths were slippery, the Germans shelled vigorously and there were many casualties'.
At 6am on 4 October 1917, the 5th Division attacked with the 13th and 95th Brigades. The 95th Brigade's attack, on the left, was carried by the 1st Devons and the 1st Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. The 1st East Surreys were in support and the 12th Gloucesters in reserve. The objective was Cameron Covert, a copse, north of Polgon Wood, dotted with shell holes and debris, whose trees had long since snapped like matches under the never-ending artillery fire. During the attack, the Devons had to keep in touch with the 13th Brigade on their right, whose objective were the heights at Polderhoek Château. The terrain was terrible. Deep and wide swamps meant the battalions had to swerve through no-man's land, which was full of German troops who had gathered for an attack of their own.
The 1st Devons managed to capture Cameron Covert, except for a swamp on the south side, which proved impassable. The link with the 13th Brigade on the right was lost, which continued its advance on the slopes of Polderhoek Château. The ruins of the castle were heavily fortified and lay on a ridge from which German machine guns could cover the area, including the only possible passage across the Reutelbeek stream. German resistance was too strong and the 13th Brigade had to fall back and dig in.
Casualties of the 1st Devons were high. 56 men were killed, 194 wounded, 53 were reported missing. Lance Corporal Frank Hake, 35, fell on 4 October 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, panel 38A.
Sources 6
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1 Devonshire Regiment (The National Archives, Kew (TNA) WO 95/1579/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Atkinson C.T., The Devonshire Regiment 1914-1918 (Vol I), (Exeter, Elan Brothers, 1926) 278-280. Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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McCarthy Chris., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018) 108-109. Sources used |
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UK, World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920(The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/838001 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1518999 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=6bf451b9-69b1-4d64-aa13-37577295c538 |