Labour Corps
Francis (Frank) Howard Pargeter was the son of William Edward and Ada Blanch Pargeter and was one of their nine children recorded in the 1901 Census. He was born in Cheltenham in the second quarter of 1893.
At the time of the 1911 Census Francis was living with his brother and wife in Gloucester at 2 India Road and his occupation is recorded as ‘chemist’s porter’.
Details of his Army service are rather confusing. His Medal Index Card shows him having served in the Royal Berkshires (with service number 23144) and the Labour Corps (service number 94230).
Part of his Army Service Record has survived but the only part of any relevance is two pages of his Attestation papers.
He enlisted for the duration of the war on 12 December 1915, giving his address as 14 Normal Terrace, Cheltenham and occupation as ‘furniture porter’.
At the top of the paper is written Wiltshire Regiment (and number 23324), this being crossed out and replaced by 23144 (Royal Berkshires) and this in turn crossed through and 94230 Labour Corps added.
His CWGC headstone in Cheltenham Cemetery bears the badge and inscription of the Royal Berkshire Regiment but his Labour Corps number.
The CWGC Register states he served with the Royal Berkshire’s attached to Labour Corps!
It can be gleaned from the surviving Service Record is that he was mobilised on 22 January 1916 and served in the UK until 16 June 1916. He was posted to France on the following day.
His movements thereafter are unknown.
According to ‘Leaving All that was Dear – Cheltenham and the Great War’ by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker, Corporal Pargeter died from the effects of gas poisoning, ‘after much suffering’.
However, there is no record of the issuance of discharge from the Army prior to the Armistice with no evidence of the issuance of a Silver War Badge or Army Pension Record.
His Pension Record Card, made available via the Ancestry website in late 2018, notes his disability as ‘I.C.T. leg and neck’ and that from 21 April 1921 his widow was granted a weekly pension of 21 shillings and eight pence (£1.08).
His death was at Cheltenham on 20 April 1921, aged 28.
He left a widow, Mabel Blanch Pargeter (née Pugh), whom he had married at St Paul’s Church, Cheltenham on 6 October 1915. For whatever reason, his name was not put forward for recording on the Cheltenham Borough War Memorial.
Research by Graham Adams 21 January 2019 (revised)