Francis was born in 1896, the son of Francis F Frost a Packing Case Maker, originally from Norwich and Eliza Ann Oldershaw who had married on 1st August 1891. They lived at 45 Knighton Fields Road West and had Three children. Laurette Winifred was the oldest followed by Francis and then Dorothy Jane born in 1902.
By 1911 Francis was working as a House Painter Apprentice and his sister Laurette was a Sewing Machinist. His mother’s sister, Lauretta Elizabeth Oldeshaw who was a Cigar Maker was also living with the family.
In 1915 Francis enlisted to the Leicestershire Yeomanry, Gunner 255930, later in 1917 he transferred to the Royal Horse Guards, Gunner 2974, before joining the Royal Garrison Artillery.
He died of Influenza on 28th October 1918 and is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille in France. His inscription reads ‘The Dearly Loved & Only Son of Mr & Mrs Frost, Leicester Aged 22. (R.I.P)’. The cemetery was started in June 1918 and was mostly used for burials from the Base Hospitals, but Plot IV Row C contains the graves of 46 RAF Personnel killed in a bombing raid by German aircraft at Marquise in September 1918.
Laurette, Francis’s older sister, died on 27/10/1918, the day before Francis died. She is buried at Welford Road Cemetery. Her grave stone also commemorates Francis as well as their parents and youngest sister Dorothy, who died unmarried in 1974. Just behind the grave stone is another commemoration of a First World War victim, Arthur Gibson, who is also just below Francis’s name on the St Michael’s memorial.