Sergeant Austin R Francis

Yesterday I took part in the Freedom trail 44k. I left my remembrance cross at the stone of Sergeant Francis. He will not be forgotten.

Sgt Austin Francis was KIA near Wolfenze train station between 1700 to 1900hrs on the 19th September 1944. He was 29 years old and not 30 as indicated on his records. He was born on the 21st August 1915 in Wales. Just before he was killed by machine gun fire he had spoken to George Wyllie about the difficult situation they were in. George Wyllie survived the battle and wrote this account of Austin's death.

Kevin Francis writes (April 2024):
I had known that Uncle Austin had been among the Fallen in Operation Market Garden but had not known any details until recently visiting these pages. It is particularly poignant to see photographs of him and to read of his death in the action at Wolfheze.
The ‘brother’ referred to in the caption to one of the photos must be his younger brother, Alan (though I seem to remember him as Uncle Harold, or was it Howard?), whom I met a few times at Auntie Connie’s flat in Fulham in the sixties.
The elder brother was my father, Kenneth. Dad served in the Royal Norfolks and was taken at Singapore. He survived the horrors of the Burma Railroad, but only just.
As we approach the eightieth anniversary of Market Garden we remember all who took part in that battle, especially those who did not survive. I will remember and light a candle and say prayers for Uncle Austin and his comrades on his anniversary, September 18th.