Sydney Llewellyn Francis – London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion

Rifleman Sydney Llewellyn Francis – London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion

Early Life in Swansea

Sydney Llewellyn Francis was born in 1890 in Swansea, the son of John James Francis and Ann (Annie) Thomas, who were married at St Mary’s Church, Swansea, in January 1885.

1891 Census

The 1891 Census records the family living at 40 Balaclava Street, St Thomas, Swansea, where John James, aged 27, was employed as a Musician, while his wife Annie, also 27, kept the home. Their only child at that time was Sydney H., aged 1, and also present was a servant, Jane Francis, aged 18.

In 1893, tragedy struck when John James Francis died at the age of 29, leaving Annie widowed with young children.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 39a Balaclava Street, where Annie, aged 35, was raising Sydney L., 10; Elsie W., 8; and John J., 7. Also living in the household were Annie’s brothers — Morgan G. Thomas, 31, a Mechanical Engineer, and David Thomas, 24 — along with a servant, Louisa Davies, aged 26.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family were still residing at 39 Balaclava Street, where Annie, now 46, remained head of the household. Sydney, aged 21, was employed as an Accountant’s Clerk, while his sister Elsie, 19, was at home, and his brother John Iver, 17, was working as an Electrical Engineer Apprentice.

Military Service

Sydney enlisted as a rifleman with the London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), serving with the 1st/5th Battalion, one of the most distinguished Territorial units in the British Army. Formed in 1859, the London Rifle Brigade had a long tradition of volunteer service, drawing its recruits from London’s clerks, tradesmen, and skilled workers. By the outbreak of the First World War, it had become part of the Territorial Force, known for its discipline, marksmanship, and strong esprit de corps.

The 1st/5th Battalion landed in France in November 1914, serving in the Ypres Salient and taking part in the fighting at St Eloi and Hooge. In early 1916, the battalion joined the newly formed 56th (1st London) Division, preparing for its role in the forthcoming Somme offensive.

1 July 1916 – The Attack at Gommecourt

In the months leading up to the Battle of the Somme, the London Rifle Brigade trained intensively for the assault on Gommecourt, a heavily fortified German salient north of the main battlefield. The attack was intended as a diversion, designed to draw German reserves away from the main offensive further south.

At 7.30 a.m. on 1 July 1916, the battalion advanced behind a creeping barrage towards the German lines north of Gommecourt Wood. The German defences in this sector were among the strongest on the Western Front. The preliminary bombardment had failed to cut the wire or destroy the deep dugouts, and as soon as the barrage lifted, the defenders emerged and manned their machine‑guns.

The London Rifle Brigade advanced into intense machine‑gun fire from multiple angles, particularly from positions in Gommecourt Park, which enfiladed the attacking waves. Many men were cut down before reaching the first belt of wire, which in places remained completely unbroken. Despite the losses, elements of the battalion reached the German front line and fought their way into the trenches, engaging in fierce hand‑to‑hand combat. However, isolated and unsupported, they were unable to hold the ground and were forced to withdraw.

The battalion suffered severe casualties, losing many of its most experienced officers and NCOs. The attack achieved none of its tactical objectives, but it succeeded in its grim purpose: it pinned down German reserves that might otherwise have reinforced the main Somme battlefield.

Death and Commemoration

Rifleman Sydney Llewellyn Francis was killed in action on 1 July 1916, during the London Rifle Brigade’s assault at Gommecourt. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, which honours the missing of the Somme battlefield.