Private Frank Sidney Wiltshire
Date of Birth 1921
Place of Birth
Regiment 5th Battalion Wiltshire
Rank Private
Service Number 5569748
Company
Platoon
Awards
Date of Death 22/07/1944
Location of Memorial Bayeux War Cemetery/ XXV. A. 16
Next Of Kin Son of Sidney James Wiltshire and Elsie May Wiltshire, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Place of Birth
Regiment 5th Battalion Wiltshire
Rank Private
Service Number 5569748
Company
Platoon
Awards
Date of Death 22/07/1944
Location of Memorial Bayeux War Cemetery/ XXV. A. 16
Next Of Kin Son of Sidney James Wiltshire and Elsie May Wiltshire, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Frank Wiltshire, a former Scout Patrol Leader and chorister joined the 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment on the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. The 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment was part of the 43rd Wessex Division, this division spent much of the early war years on Home Defence duties along the south coast, from 1943, the division prepared for the forthcoming invasion of Europe.
The 5th Wilts landed in Normandy on the 19th June 1944, on the 25th June the 43rd Wessex Division supported the 15th Scottish Division which was advancing in the region south west of Caen. By the 29th June the 5th Battalion were holding positions around the village of Baron, they remained in this area for several days preparing for the planned advance to take Hill 112.
On the 10th July Operation Jupiter commenced to take the high ground of Hill 112, the battalion was to suffer casualties of 26 killed, 21 missing and 73 wounded during the heavy fighting. The following few days were quiet, only the occasional shelling of the battalion positions. On the 19th July, the 5th Wilts received orders to move to new positions to the east of Verson in preparation for the assault on the neighbouring village of Maltot.
The 5th Wilts landed in Normandy on the 19th June 1944, on the 25th June the 43rd Wessex Division supported the 15th Scottish Division which was advancing in the region south west of Caen. By the 29th June the 5th Battalion were holding positions around the village of Baron, they remained in this area for several days preparing for the planned advance to take Hill 112.
On the 10th July Operation Jupiter commenced to take the high ground of Hill 112, the battalion was to suffer casualties of 26 killed, 21 missing and 73 wounded during the heavy fighting. The following few days were quiet, only the occasional shelling of the battalion positions. On the 19th July, the 5th Wilts received orders to move to new positions to the east of Verson in preparation for the assault on the neighbouring village of Maltot.
On the 22nd July at 17:30 the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment began their the advance into the village of Maltot behind a rolling barrage of artillery and supported by Churchill tanks of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment. During the fighting Private Frank Wiltshire was killed in action, he was buried in a field grave next to a road south of the village of Eterville, during 1946 his body was moved to the Bayeux War Cemetery.
Source: CWGC, Frank Wiltshire photo - War Illustrated, Grave photo - Lyn Robson, 5th Wilts War Diary.