Frank's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Frank Needham was born in 1889, the son of Elizabeth and John Thomas Needham, a cotton mixer of Bollington, Macclesfield. In 1891, two-year-old Frank was living at Defiance Street, Bollington with his parents and siblings Helena (4), Herbert (3) and Samuel, aged three months. By 1911 the family had moved to 22 Adlington Road, Bollington, and included another seven children: Gladys (18), Christabel (16), Agnes (14), Harold (13), John (11), Audrey (10) and Edwin (4).
In September 1911 Frank married Lily Pownall at Hurdsfield Holy Trinity Church and the following year their son, also named Frank, was born. The family lived at 4 Masons Lane, Hurdsfield and Lily later lived at 18 Higher Fence Road, Hurdsfield, Macclesfield.
WW1 SERVICE
Frank enlisted with the Cheshire Regiment with service number 2025. He was later transferred to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry with service number 26316, and finally served with the 8th Company, Machine Gun Corps with service number 71895.
His death was reported in the Macclesfield Times of 31 March 1917:
"LOST A GOOD MAN" - TRIBUTE TO FALLEN MACHINE GUNNER
Mrs Needham, Mason's Lane, Macclesfield has received a sympathetic letter from Second Lieut. R. Allen, Machine Gun Corps, respecting the death of her husband, Private Frank Needham, Cheshire Regt., who, as reported in our last issue, was killed in action on the 12th inst. Lieut. Allen writes:- "It is with the deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death of your husband. During the short period he had been with the Machine Gun Company he had become well-liked by both officers and men on account of his fearlessness and devotion to duty while in the trenches, because of his thought for others, and his Christian life under all circumstances. His death was therefore greatly felt by the Company, and in losing him we know that we have lost a good man... he was killed instantaneously and was buried shortly after by his comrades in a soldiers' cemetery near by, a Church of England chaplain officiating." Mrs Needham has also received a letter from Private W A Littler, the text of which we quoted last week.
Private Needham was 28 years of age and a native of Bollington, where his parents reside. He was educated at the Church School, and before enlistment was employed as a cotton doubler at the Waterhouse Mill. He was married five years ago and leaves a widow and one son. Mrs Needham's father had been in the Army nearly thirty years and fought in the South African campaign. He is now serving in the present was and has a son in India and another in the Navy.
COMMEMORATION
Private Frank Needham is buried in grave ref. II. F. 22. in Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. His widow asked for the inscription "NOT MY WILL BUT THINE OH LORD" to be engraved on his headstone.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Frank Needham.
In Macclesfield, Private Frank Needham is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials, and Hurdsfield Holy Trinity Church roll of honour. Elsewhere, he is commemorated on the Bollington (Palmerston St) war memorial.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1911
Cheshire BMD website
Familysearch: Hurdsfield Holy Trinity marriages
Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 31 March 1917; 23 September 1921 (photo supplement)
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.