{"id":59,"date":"2019-12-23T11:07:35","date_gmt":"2019-12-23T11:07:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vanel.org.uk\/memorialcottages\/?page_id=59"},"modified":"2020-12-07T16:49:03","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:49:03","slug":"francis-willmer-mcaulay","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.vanel.org.uk\/memorialcottages\/francis-willmer-mcaulay\/","title":{"rendered":"Francis Willmer McAulay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Francis Willmer McAulay (FWM) was born in 1891 to parents Samuel and Maud Mary. He was a fourth generation Aylesby person, with his parents having been farmers, land owners and employers in the village since at least 1826 when Francis Sowerby (FWM\u2019s Great Grandfather) got married in the village. (More about the family history here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He inherited the name Francis from his fathers side of the family tree and Willmer from his mother’s side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was the eldest child of three, and the only son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His education started at The Leys in Cambridge and he went on to study an M.A. Degree in agriculture and economics at St John\u2019s College in Cambridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was a keen cricketer, but during his time in Cambridge he also was a member of the Officers\u2019 Training Corps – his first taste of military service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He returned to Aylesby village where he farmed in partnership with his father. But his taste for military service was obviously just beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A military man<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1910 (aged 19) he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery with the Territorial Force (T.F.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He initially served with the 1st North Midland Brigade Ammunition Column and was promoted to Lieutenant on 15th July 1913.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From September 1913 he served with the 2nd Lincolnshire Battery of the 230th Brigade RFA (part of 46th North Midland Division).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When World War I broke out he immediately volunteered for service abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 21st January 1915 he was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 1915 the 46th Division left for France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By May 1916 the Division had moved to the Foncquevillers\/Gommecourt sector at the southern end of the British 3rd Army Front that joined with the northern boundary of the 4th Army Front. Preparations were underway for the Somme offensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

His final battle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Still part of the 230th Brigade RFA, Captain McAulay was now in charge of \u2018B\u2019 battery situated between Bayencourt and Sailly-au-Bois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 21st May 1916 at about 7.45 a.m., the enemy commenced to shell the battery heavily and accurately with 5.9″ H.E. and at 8.50 a.m. increased the firing rate for about five minutes, blowing in No. 2 gun pit and the telephone dug-out. In the gun-pit the only damage was to the gun-shield, sight and fuse-indicator ring of No 2 gun. The situation in the telephone dug-out was more serious. During the bombardment Capt. McAulay was there when two shells hit it, killing him and two of the five men, telephonist 451 Corporal C. Carty and 2089 Gunner S. H. Pratt, instantaneously and wounding 1239 Sargeant G. Broadstock, 807 Gnr A. Smith and 1600 Driver A. Mumby-Croft. (Driver Mumby-Croft subsequently died of wounds next day and is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1; Corporal Carty and Gunner Pratt are buried in Sailly-au-Bois Military Cemetery.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

21st May 1916 marked the fall of a \u201cpopular and gallant officer\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was such a good officer and a specially nice one and was a great loss\u201d. <\/p>General Campbell.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Laid to rest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So Francis Willmer McAulay was outlived by his two sisters, his Father and his Mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The war graves in France mark his passing and back in the UK memorials were erected in memory of the loss. You can read about some of the memorials here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n