126937 2/Lieutenant James Francis WELLS, 2 Bty., 1 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery: 01/12/1941

Remembering Today

WELLS, JAMES FRANCIS
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Service No: 126937
Date of Death: 01/12/1941
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery 2 Bty., 1 Lt. A.A. Regt.
Buried or commemorated at
HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY
Grave Reference: 3. H. 10.
Location: Egypt
Additional Information: Son of William and Mary Elizabeth Wells, of Ormskirk, Lancashire.
Personal Inscription UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY



Attached is a photo of "Frank" Wells from the Ormskirk Advertiser, 8 January 1942. A brief summary of the newspaper article: Frank was originally from Burscough and was educated at Ormskirk Grammer School. He played for Ormskirk Rugby Union FC and was also a member of the local tennis and cricket clubs. At the onset of war he was a member of the Territorial Forces but later joined the Royal Artillery, and first went overseas in February 1941 where he was posted in Libya. He was wounded in the Middle East on 1 December 1941 and died later that same day. His older brother Len was an Ormskirk cricketer, younger brother William served in the RASC and was one of the Dunkirk heroes, youngest brother Robert also served in the RASC and was posted in Africa.

Also attached is a photo of the Wells family grave at St Mark's Church, Scarisbrick. Frank is also named on the war memorial at St Marks (see the local war memorials thread for a pic).