Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Arthur Hoyes, a railway labourer, born 1865 in Hougham, Lincolnshire and his wife Elizabeth Mary Hoyes (nee Allen, married in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district), born 1860 in Whissendine, Rutland. Francis Arthur was born in the 3rd quarter of 1894 in Harby, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 9th September 1894 in the Parish Church, Harby, his siblings were Elsie Louisa, born 1892, Frederick Ernest, born 17th June 1897 and Henry Macdonald, born 9th May 1900, all his siblings were born in Harby, in March 1901 the family home was at Stathern Road, Harby. In March 1901 Francis was absent from the family home at 1, Exchange Row, Harby, residing there was his father, a railway labourer, his mother and siblings, John William, an ironstone quarry worker, born in the 4th quarter of 1888 in Langar, Nottinghamshire, Frederick, a general farm boy and Henry, Francis was employed as a farm labourer and was residing as a servant at Manor Farm, Tibshelf, Derbyshire. Francis’s brother John also fell in action in May 1915.
Francis attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War.) on the 31st December 1914 in Mansfield. He gave his full address as 51, High Street, Tibshelf, Derbyshire, his age as 20 years and 130 days and his trade or calling as coal miner. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his mother, Elizabeth of Harby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 7½ inches in height, weighed 154 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 36½ and 39 inches. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment in Derby as a Private, service number 21209 on the 31/12/14. Posted to the 13th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 5/1/15. Posted to the 9th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 29/8/15. Posted to the 10th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 3/1/16. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 24/2/16. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France and posted to the 10th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 14/6/16. Joined the 17th Infantry Brigade Base at Etaples on the 15/6/16. Joined the 10th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, in the field on the 24/6/16. Admitted to the 64th Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound to the left hand on the 4/7/16. Transferred to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport on the 5/7/16. Transferred to England on the 12/7/16. Posted to the Depot, Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 12/7/16. Admitted to Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to the wrist on the 18/7/16. Discharged from Hospital on the 2/8/16. Posted to the 13th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment on the 15/8/16. Transferred to the 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment and allotted the service number 40750 on the 2/12/16. Joined the 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, in the field on the ---. Granted leave from the 13/11/17 to the 27/11/17. Awarded the Military Medal on the 12/12/17. Promoted Lance Corporal, in the field on the 8/3/18. Reported missing in action, in the field on the 6/6/18. Death presumed to have occurred on or after the 6/6/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 31/12/14 – 28/8/15, 241 days. Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 29/8/15 – 2/1/16. 127 days. Home Service, 3/1/16 – 13/6/16. 162 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 14/6/16 – 11/7/16. 28 days. Home Service, 12/7/16 – 16/11/16. 128 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 17/11/16 – 6/6/18. 1 year 202 days. Total service, 3 years 158 days. He was awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry, the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Francis’s mother Elizabeth M. Hoyes on the 23rd August 1920, and was witnessed and signed by G. H. Stone, Clerk in Holy Orders, Harby Rectory, Melton Mowbray on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family)Father of soldier, deceased. Mother of soldier, Elizabeth Mary Hoyes of Harby, Melton Mowbray. Full blood brothers of soldier, Fred Hoyes, age 23 of 48, -?- Square, Leicester. Henry Hoyes, age 20 of Harby, Melton Mowbray. Full blood sister of soldier, Elsie Hoyes, age 29 of 69, Cromwell Street, Nottingham. Francis’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 6 Jun-18 – FRONT LINE NERY PREMECY. Attacked by the enemy at dawn. Battalion greatly distinguished itself by maintaining its positions under very heavy shell and Machine Gun fire with both flanks exposed and co-operating in successful counter-attack. Major MARTIN, J. G, Captain H. N. TRUEMAN, Lieutenant ELKINGTON, 2nd Lieutenant’s CHANNING and EDE wounded and 2nd Lieutenant M. G. RANDALL died of wounds. Battalion relieved by the 150th Composite Brigade and proceeded to BOIS DE COURTON to re-organise.