Frank was born 1897 Springfield, Essex the son of Robert Dorling and Sarah Ann nee Easy.   His family are part of the Herringswell Dorling branch whose YDNA has been identified as part of the Dorling DNA project at Family Tree DNA.  Frank is a “missing” soldier and there are other missing soldiers who are Herringswell branch Dorling and so they will all share the same YDNA.

In 1911 Frank was a “boy labourer” at the Roneo Works in Romford, Essex where his family were then living.  He enlisted at Warley, Essex in the Essex Regiment 1st Batallion, and served  in the Balkans, arriving there 23 Sep 1915.   He was later in France with C Company 1st Essex, and was listed as missing, later presumed killed in action, in the fighting around Infantry Hill near Monchy Le Preux.  Searching The Great War Forum for “Essex” and “Monchy” shows a thread with details of the action there and maps from the regimental history.  Details of his company are from the International Red Cross list of missing men published in 1917 (Information from the Gt War Forum). Frank’s presumed date of death is given as 14 April 1917.  He was age 20.     

Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, Panel Reference: Bay 7.   The Commonwealth War Graves website gives hm as “Son of Mr. R. and Mrs. S. Dorling, of 125, Douglas Rd., Romford, Essex”.