Frank Cartwright was a farmer’s son from Carlton Ashes (Howdales) near Hough on the Hill. Born 12th April 1894, he attended Carlton Scroop school, then Sedgebrook Grammar School, which he left at Christmas 1910.
In March 1911 (aged 17) he emigrated to Australia, sailing on SS Persic from Liverpool to Sidney. He intended to follow the engineering profession in Brisbane, but on arrival was offered a job by the Bank of New South Wales. After a year working at the branch in Gympie, Queensland he was transferred to Murgin. A year later he was promoted to Ledger Keeper at the Toowoomba branch.
Frank was already serving in the militia with a Light Horse Regiment and soon after war was declared he volunteered for active service, enlisting at Roma as Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant in B Sqn, 2nd Light Horse Regiment. This was part of the Australian 1st Light Horse Brigade which was forming at Enoggera Training Camp near Brisbane. 2nd LHR embarked from Brisbane for Egypt on ‘Star of England’ on 24th Sep 1914.
In early 1915 he contracted measles. After a period of convalescence he rejoined his Sqn but then caught a chill. In early April an officer wrote to tell his parents that he had a more serious case of measles and pleuro-pneumonia and was in the No1 General Hospital, Heliopolis (formerly the Palace Hotel). He died on 18th April 1915 (aged 21) and was buried with military honours at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery the following day.
His parents, who had retired to Normanton on Cliffe, were notified by a letter from the Commonwealth Office in London on 21st April. A memorial service was held in Normanton Church on the following Sunday morning.
The following month his unit left its horses behind to fight as infantry with the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli.
Frank’s younger brother Richard lived in the Grantham area until his death in 1970.
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