My name is Francis John Timms. I was born in 1885 and lived on Church Street. Number 5 if I were to be pedantic.
My parents were Amos and Bertha and we were butchers by trade, based in the town. I was lucky to be the only child and for the family to have two servants which meant that I did not need to do additional work and I tended to work with my parents.
I Joined up and was put into the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers which were first based in Karachi but were moved to Aden, Yemen, in late 1914. However, with no known activity, in December 1914, they embarked on a journey back to Avonmouth and arrived just after the New Year in 1915. They were moved to Nuneaton and put in the 86th Brigade of the 29th division where I was put into the battalion. We embarked on the 16th of March for Gallipoli. A journey that would take us via Alexandria, Egypt and Mudros, Greece.
Once we arrived at Gallipoli on the 25th of April, we were involved in heavy fighting, landing at Cape Helles. There was no gunfire when we landed the first boat but soon small arms were cutting down the division but, luckily, I survived the landings. I was not one of the famous six troops who received the VC, but I committed myself to fighting for my country against the Ottoman Empire. We engaged in the First Battle of Kiritha - although we suffered heavy losses and our main attack was called off as we had lost morale in the division.
This was not the end however as the second battle resulted in us trying for Kiritha and the heights at Achi Baba. This is when I got injured. They were life threatening injuries. Unfortunately, the healthcare was not very good in Gallipoli. I was to die on the 30th of May 1915. Many of the men who died at Gallipoli were heroic, I myself do not want to be arrogant and say that I was. But I can say that I fought for my country. For Peace, for Equality, for Freedom. I fought for my country, and that is what I wanted to do.
Researched by Benjamin, John Hampden Grammar School
