Crozier, Francis (Frank)
Rifleman
No. 18/3, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 35)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Francis Crozier was born in Holywood and enlisted in Belfast.
Francis Crozier was born on 14 November 1880 in Stewart Place, Holywood and he was a son of Francis (Frank) and Ellen Crozier (nee Dugan) who were married on 21 December 1873 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. Francis Crozier (aged 22) from 23 Academy Street, Belfast was a son of John Crozier, a gardener. Ellen Dugan (aged 25) from Shore Street, Belfast was a daughter of William Dugan, a tailor.
Francis Crozier Senior worked as a tailor and he and Ellen had four children:
James Dugan (born 19 November 1875 in High Street, Holywood)
Thomas (born 14 August 1877 in High Street, Holywood)
William (born 27 September 1878 in Shore Street, Holywood)
Francis (Frank, born 14 November 1880 in Stewart’s Place, Holywood)
Their mother, Ellen Crozier, died on 4 May 1882 (aged 29) and their father, Francis Crozier, married Sarah Jelly (sometimes Jellie) on 9 October 1883 in Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Philip and St James). Francis Crozier (aged 30), a widower from 69 High Street, Holywood was a son of John Crozier, a gardener. Sarah Jelly (aged 26) from Killinchy was a daughter of James Jelly, a farmer.
Francis and Sarah Crozier (nee Jelly) had nine children:
Rosanna (Annie, born 11 September 1884 in Ballyglighorn, Killinchy)
John (born 5 December 1886 in High Street, Holywood)
Alexander (Alex, born 28 June 1888 in High Street, Holywood)
David (born 13 June 1890 in High Street, Holywood)
Agnes (born 9 November 1892 in High Street, Holywood; died of pneumonia 16 April 1893)
Agnes (born 19 May 1894; died 24 September 1894)
Sarah Agnes (born 8 December 1895 at 78 Woodstock Road, Belfast)
Jane Jellie (Jeannie, born 10 September 1897 at 78 Woodstock Road, Belfast)
Girl, name not captured (born prematurely 30 October 1900 at 78 Woodstock Road, Belfast; died of debility 30 October 1900 aged 15 minutes)
In the 1890s the Crozier family moved from Holywood to 78 Woodstock Road, Belfast.
Before the outbreak of the Great War, Francis Crozier Junior worked as a general labourer and he and Margaret Hanna (sometimes Hannon or Hannan) were married on 21 September 1903 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. Francis Crozier (aged 22) from 16 River Terrace, Belfast was a son of Francis Crozier, a tailor. Margaret Hanna (aged 21) from 91 Sussex Street, Belfast was a daughter of James Hanna, a labourer.
Francis and Margaret Crozier (nee Hanna) lived in Belfast, at 43 Ship Street; at 12 Little Corporation Street and at 12 Byron Place and they had at least five children:
Ellen (born around 1904)
Margaret (born around 1906)
Elizabeth (born 23 June 1908 at 43 Ship Street, Belfast)
James Joseph (born 4 February 1911 at 12 Little Corporation Street, Belfast)
Margaret (born 4 November 1913 at 17 Byron Place, Belfast)
Rifleman Frank Crozier (No. 18/3) served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 35 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and at the time of his death his wife and children were living at 22 Druse Street, Belfast.
Rifleman Frank Crozier (No. 18/3) is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.