Frank Baden Farmer was born in the summer of 1892 in the Wiltshire village of Semington. The twelfth of thirteen children, his parents were groom and gardener John Farmer and his wife, Jane.

When he completed his schooling, Frank – who was known as Toby to his family and friends – found work as a labourer in a local iron foundry. War broke out in the summer of 1914, and he gave up his job to enlist. He joined the Army Service Corps as a Private and, by early August 1915, he was in France.

Details of Private Farmer’s life in the army have been lost to time, but he certainly survived the war, and returned home to Wiltshire. At this point, Frank’s trail goes cold. The next documents for him relate to his passing – from disease, on 1st February 1921. He was 27 years of age.

The body of Frank Baden Farmer was laid to rest in the graveyard of St George’s Church in his home village of Semington.

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Interestingly, The Wiltshire News of the 18th February (thirteen days after Frank’s funeral) included a photograph of the newly installed war memorial tablet in St George’s. Unveiled the week before, it is likely that Private Farmer’s passing came to late for his name to be included on it.