Ordinary Seaman Frank Lithgow Wyatt, RNVR

Frank Wyatt

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Ordinary Seaman Frank Lithgow Wyatt would have been in the same school year as Heywood Cluett, Robert Richards and Allan Munden.

Frank is one of the men I have less information on. He’s buried in Blandford Cemetery and is one of only two of the men on Blandford Secondary School’s memorial to have not served in the Army.

Frank was the second of the three sons of Arthur and Lizzie Wyatt. [Herbert B 1894, Frank B 1898, John B. 1900]

Arthur Wyatt took over Lindsay and Dalrymple’s hardware shop at 1 Market Place Blandford in 1907. The business had been established in 1824 and Arthur had worked there for 20 years before taking charge. His first boy, Herbert died before his fourth birthday in 1898 leaving Frank as the eldest. The photograph shows Frank and his brother John with the staff of the Ironmongers at around the time that Arthur took over the firm.

wyatts staff including Hubert aaprox 1907

If you go and look in the doorway of 1 Market Place, the doorstep is still inlaid with WYATT in mosaic tiles. Look above the shop and it is obvious is was once an Ironmongers by the decorative iron balustrade.

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Wyatt's shop

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Frank joined the Royal Navy on the 18th September 1916 and was listed as an Ironmonger’s Assistant, beginning his recruit training with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Crystal Palace. Although training with the Royal Navy, Frank’s likely destination was the Royal Naval Division fighting as Infantry on the Western Front.

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Royal Naval Division at Crystal Palace

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After only 100 days in training, just before Christmas, Frank was transferred ill to what the Navy called ‘DSQ’ – Dockside Sick Quarters. In reality, given this was in South London it was actually Norwood Cottage Hospital. He died on 31st December 1916. He was 18 years old.

Norwood Cottage Hospital

naval records 1

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