Frank Hyde
Name: Frank Hyde
1885 - 25th September 1915
Place of Birth: Arlesey
Occupation: Railway Porter
Division: 2nd Battalion
Regiment: Bedfordshire Regiment
Rank: Private
Commemorated: Panel 41, Loos Memorial, Loos-En-Gohelle, France
Person(s) placing the cross on behalf of the Arlesey Remembers You Project: Sandra & Jamie Sarll
Frank was the youngest son of Frederick and Rebecca Hyde and was born in Arlesey in 1884. The family lived on the High Street and Frederick was employed as a butcher and beer house keeper. In 1901 The family had moved on to Hitchin Road, Arlesey where Frank was the publican of the Cock Tavern as well as being a butcher. Frank and his older brother Charles were also employed as butchers.
In the 1911 census Frank was working as a delivery porter and was living in Gower Street, London.
Frank enrolled in the Bedfordshire Regiment during the 1st week of December 1914 and joined the 2nd Battalion.
In October 1915 Rebecca received official information of Frank’s death “Madam – It is my painful duty to inform you that a report this day has been received from the War Office notifying the death of No 19246 Pte Frank Hyde of the 2nd Bedfords, which occurred at -------- on the 25th September 1915, and I am to express the sympathy and regret of the Army Council at your loss. The cause of death was killed in action.
The 2nd Bedfords War diary for 25th September 1915 tells us they were involved in the Battle of Loos. They managed to clear the first German trench with practically no casualties but as soon as they began to advance across the open behind the German front line they came under very heavy rifle fire. The Battlion suffered severly but continued to advance by rushes of small parties until the gun trench was reached. Between 200 and 300 other ranks became casualties in this attack.
He is remembered with honour at the Loos Memorial.