FRANCIS GEORGE DUNCAN STONEY

Born: 1893, Twickenham, London.
Died: 25th August 1916; age 23; Died of Wounds – Sailly Laurette. Stuck by a shell blast on the night of the 24th, August 1916, while part of a working party on a new tench immediately behind ‘ Lonely Trench’ about 1000 yards SSW of Guillemont. Montauban. Map reference – between A.6b, and B.1c, on the Montauban trench map. Francis survived for several hours after being injured.

Occupation: Ransomes and Rapier Ltd., Ipswich.

Date of Entry Therein: 30th January 1916 – France.

Gazetted 14th May 1915 – to be temporary Second Lieutenant.

Rank: Lieutenant.

Regiment: Royal Engineers, 204th Coy.

Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.

Grave Reference:
II.G.19.
Dive Copse British Cemetery,
Sailly-Le-Sec,
Somme,
France.

Relatives Notified & Address: Only son of Edward Duncan Stoney & Ellen Naomi Stoney, of 23, Arlington Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex; and grandson of the late F. G. M. Stoney, M.I.C.E., of Tumbricane, Ipswich.

CENSUS

1901   Greyfort, Bacton Road, Walton, Suffolk.

Frances was 7 years old and living with his widowed mother & sisters. They were living at the home of his widowed paternal grandmother.
Annie Elizabeth Stoney, 57, born Colombo, Ceylon.
Annie Naomi Stoney (nee Pope), 30, born St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Catherine Ruth Stoney, 6, born Ipswich.
Margaret Naomi Stoney, 3, born Ipswich.
1 cook
1 nurse
1 parlour maid
1 hospital nurse.

1911   23, Arlington Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Francis was 17 years old, an Engineering Student. He was living with his widowed mother & sisters. They were living at the home of his widowed paternal grandmother.
Annie, 68, Private Means.
Ellen, 42.
Catherine, 16.
Margaret, 13.
1 cook
1 parlour maid
1 housemaid

Francis’s father was Edward Duncan Stoney, born July 1868, Louth, Ireland – died February 1898, at 19, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, of Pleurisy. A Civil Engineer – who worked for Ransomes & Rapier – took charge of the Weaver sluices, Manchester Ship Canal, on their behalf.

Francis is listed in The Peerage and in Burke’s Landed Gentry of Ireland.

Probate to Ellen Naomi Stoney – mother.

Soldiers’ Effects to Mrs. Ellen Naomi Stoney – mother.

Francis is also remembered on the war memorial at Eastbourne, East Sussex; on the Ransomes & Rapier Ltd. war memorial, Bourne Park, Ipswich.