William Jeremiah Francis – Canadian Mounted Rifles, C.E.F., 5th Battalion

Private William Jeremiah Francis – Canadian Mounted Rifles, C.E.F., 5^th Battalion

Birth and Family Background

William Jeremiah Francis was born in 1886 in Swansea. He was the son of Henry Francis and Elizabeth Francis, a family closely associated with Swansea’s industrial trades.

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the Francis family were living at 147 Robert Street, Swansea.
Henry Francis (26) was employed at the tin works, while his Carmarthenshire-born wife Elizabeth (26) managed the household.

Their children were William Jeremiah (5), Glyn Thomas (3), and Titus (2).

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 71 Courtney Street, Swansea.
Henry Francis (36) was then working as a fireman, and Elizabeth (36) continued to manage the home.

All the children recorded were sons, listed by their initials: W. J. (15); G. Thomas (13); Titus (12); M. (10); H. (7); C. H. (5); and E. Y. (2), reflecting the growing size of the household.

Royal Navy Service

Royal Navy Service Papers

In 1904, William Jeremiah Francis enlisted in the Royal Navy, serving as a stoker, a demanding role responsible for maintaining steam power aboard naval vessels. His first posting was to HMS Vivid II, a shore establishment used for training and administration.

William remained in naval service until 1910, and his final posting before discharge was also HMS Vivid II, marking six years of continuous service in the Royal Navy.

Emigration to Canada and Military Service

Attestation Papers

After leaving the Royal Navy, William emigrated to Canada. Following the outbreak of the First World War, he again volunteered for military service.

In 1916, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving as a Private with the 5^th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion. By this stage of the war, mounted rifle units were fighting dismounted as infantry on the Western Front.

Death in Action – Courcelette

William Jeremiah Francis was killed in action between 1^st and 2^nd October 1916 during the Battle of Courcelette, part of the wider Battle of the Somme.

The fighting at Courcelette was marked by intense artillery bombardment, machine-gun fire, and close-quarters combat, as Canadian forces pressed forward against heavily fortified German positions. William was among the many soldiers who lost their lives during these costly assaults.

Commemoration

William Jeremiah Francis
Vimy Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France
credit - findagrave

William Jeremiah Francis has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, Pas-de-Calais, France, which honours Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose final resting places are unknown.

His life reflects a journey from industrial Swansea, to service in the Royal Navy, and finally to Canada and the battlefields of the Somme, commemorating a man who served his country across two continents and gave his life during one of the First World War’s most devastating battles