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242532 1st/5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Francis Edwin Harrison (Frank) was born in Sudbury in 1888, one of nine surviving children of George James and Ellen Harrison. His father was a groom/gardener and the family lived at 11 Newton Road, before moving to Cross Street.
A report from the Long Melford Tribunal appeared in the Suffolk and Essex Free Press on 11 October 1916; C King, Market Gardener of Sudbury originally applied for exemption of Frank, who was employed as a greengrocer’s salesman but this was withdrawn. He enlisted in Sudbury and served with the Suffolk Regiment (formerly 19911).
In the spring of 1917 the Allies were defending the Suez Canal and trying to push the Turks out of Palestine; the battalion saw action in the failed attempt to capture the town of Gaza which was an important costal gateway from Egypt.
In the autumn of 1917 the battalion, which formed part of 153rd Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division saw action during the third Battle of Gaza (31 October – 7 November). This was a decisive victory for the Allies but at a cost of 18,000 British, Australian and New Zealand troops killed, missing or wounded. Frank served alongside other Sudbury men in his battalion including: William Bunn, Frank Hopes and Frederick Keeble, who all lost their lives in this battle.
Frank was killed in action aged 29 on 2 November 1917 and he lies buried in Gaza War Cemetery, Israel. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He is also remembered on Long Melford War Memorial.
His older brother Ernest lost his life eight months earlier serving with the Royal Fusiliers; he is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
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