Frank Rix

John and Fanny Rix of Manor Farm, Saxlingham Lane had three sons, all of whom volunteered to serve but only one of whom survived. Frank Ellis Rix, born in 1885, was the oldest but rather than becoming a farmer he decided on a teaching career. He started as a pupil teacher at Old Buckenham, the equivalent of a classroom assistant, and then in 1904 attended St Peter's College in Peterborough, a men's teacher training college, for two years. By 1911 he was teaching at Sunbury on Thames before moving to Wallingford and in 1913 marrying Annie Gladys Horn. Teaching was a reserved occupation meaning that Frank would not have been required to join up but he volunteered to join the 12th Battalion, London Regiment (The Rangers) which had been formed before WW1 as a territorial unit.

Territorial battalions were originally intended for home duties only but like most other territorials, The Rangers were subsequently split into 1st/12th with men who volunteered to serve abroad and 2nd/12th for those who didn't, and in 1916 were re-designated as a Territorial Battalion of the King's Royal Rifles. The 1st/12th fought on the western front from 1915 onwards and after the losses of men on the Somme the 2nd/12th Rangers were also converted to an active or general service unit, so with which did Frank Rix serve? Both were involved in the Battle of Arras in April 1917 but only the 1st/12th were involved in the fierce fighting to capture the key fortified village of Neuville-Vitasse which is where Frank's luck ran out. It is reasonably certain therefore that he was part of the 1st/12th and had survived the Somme and earlier engagements.

Rifleman Frank Ellis Rix died on 9th April 1917 and is buried in the London Cemetery at Neuville-Vitasse.