Living in Newick
Corporal Francis Walter Kingsland, 325 General Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps was born on
24 September 1919 and baptised in Newick. The son of Mary Louisa and William Montague Kingsland, a
farm labourer living at 1 Bullsfield Cottage, The Green Newick. Francis was a motor mechanic.
Newick
Royal Army Service Corps (RASC)
The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a coqJs of the British Army_responsible for land, coastal and lake
transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army, Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply
of food, water, fuel and domestic materials such as clothing, furniture and stationery and the supply of
technical and military equipment.
In 1918, the corps received the "Royal" prefix for its service in the First World War and became the Royal
Army Service Corps. It was divided into Transport and Supply Branches.
Before the Second World War, RASC recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall and could enlist
up to 30 years of age (or 35 for tradesmen in the Transport Branch). They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve (seven years and five years for tradesmen and clerks, three years and nine years for butchers, bakers and supply issuers). They trained at Aldershot.
Alone among the "Services", RASC personnel were considered to be combatant personnel.
Corporal Francis Walter Kingsland's death
Corporal Francis Walter Kingsland was killed in action on 5 December 1941 whilst stationed in the Western Dessert.
The Western Desert campaign (Desert War) took place in the deserts of Egypt and Libya and was the main theatre in the North African campaign. Military operations began in June 1940 with the Italian declaration of war and the Italian invasion of Egypt from Libya in September.
Corporal Francis Walter Kingsland Commemoration
Corporal Francis Walter Kingsland is buried at the Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery in Egypt
