Report on death of Frankie Franklin from Surrey Comet dated 22nd May 1915.

FOOTBALLER KILLED Lieut. Franklin Shot Whilst Giving Help to a Wounded Soldier. Local footballers, and especially those associated with the Old Kingstonians F.C., will leanr with deep regret of the death at the front of Second Lieutenant F. Franklin, of the 3rd Batallion Royal Fusiliers, who for several seaons played for the Old Kingstonians' F.C. at outside left. A clean and able player, he was very popular both with his colleagues and amongst the spectators. He was killed in action at the beginning of the month. Mr. Chalres Borockwell (hon. secretary, O.K.'s F.C.), recently received a latter from Sergeant T. Vinson, R.A.M.C.; who acted as hon. trainer and first aid attendant to the O.K.'s, in which the writer told of an interesting chance meeting he had with Lieut. Franklin "somewhere in France." Lieut. Franklin had then only recently received promotion, and Sergt. Vincent wrote: "I was walking in a new famous town, and, passing an officer, of course, saluted. As he acknowledged the salute we both seemed to stop dead and looked at one another. At first he didn't recognise me, 'Lieut. Franklin, sir, I believe,' I ventured to ask, and then he 'tumbled.' I felt rather uncomfortable at first but he soon put me at ease. He told me you had written and told me all the news. We had a nice little chat together, most of the conversation being on the happy times we had had with the O.K.'s. He was enquiring if any more of the boys he knew were in the town, but the only one I knew of was Josh Rowe (Sergt. J. Rowe, of the East Surreys, the Irish International who has played for Kingston where his home is), as I had seen him a few days before. Hoping we should both meet again soon I gave him an extra smart salute, to which he had to smile. This was one of the meetings which I shan't forget in a hurry. I saw him again last week, but he did not see me. His regiment was going up to the trenches and I was in a convoy going in the opposite direction. In a latter dated May 12, Sergeant Vinson refers to Lieut. Franklins death He states that a sergeant of the Fusiliers told him that Lieut Franklin was killed whilst giving help to a wounded man. Lieut. Franklin was about 35 years of age and single. His home was at Fulham Palace-road. See article in original format.