Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Corporal F. A. Donovan, Royal Field Artillery, who died of wounds received on the Western Front on 23 July 1917

1914 Star (57688 Gnr: F. A. Donovan. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (57688 Cpl. F. A. Donovan. R.A.); together with the recipient’s Memorial Scroll ‘Cpl. Frank Alexander Donovan, Royal Field Artillery.’ this mounted on card, nearly extremely fine (4) £120-£160

Frank Alexander Donovan enlisted in Sheffield and served in France with 42nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery from 19 August 1914. His death was later reported in the Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express on 25 August 1917:
‘Corporal F. A. Donovan (R.F.A.), youngest son of Mr. John Donovan, of 14, Burton-street, Hillsboro’, has died from gas poisoning. In a letter conveying the news, one of his officers writes:- “Corporal Donovan was sleeping in his dugout early in the morning when a German gas shell fell. The dugout was partly knocked in, and all the men inside were severely gassed. Your son lived a few hours. He will be greatly missed in this Battery, where he was very popular with all the officers and men.” Corporal Donovan joined the Army when he was 16 years old, and served for eight years. He was wounded in the Second Battle of Ypres. He was a Roman Catholic, and formerly attended the Sacred Heart School, Hillsboro’. His brother, Pte. W. Donovan (West Yorks) was killed last May, having been previously wounded at the Battle of the Aisne. Mr. Donovan sen., served 23 years in the Army, and was awarded the good-conduct medal.’

Aged 24 years, Donovan is buried at Brandhoek Military Cemetery.