| Notes: | MMP. Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp (1/4343) and Rose, Victory Medal and War Medal. First served abroad (1) France, 15/8/1914. Formerly Pte. 1 Royal Dragoons. No. 4438. Enlisted 31/5/1899, transferred to MMP 4/6/1903. Served Home 31/5/1899 to 7/6/1900, South Africa 8/6/1900 to £, NK ? to 14/8/1914, BEF 15/8/1914 to 5/5/1920, Home 6/5/1920 to 11/6/1920. Served 6 Brigade, 2 Division 13/2/1915, SSM 3 Corps 21/12/1915, 13/5/1916 3 Corps to Base Rouen. Awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Army Order 106 of 1915. Home address: 1 Station Villas, Fleet. 12/3/05 married Rhoda Pickers at All Saints Church, Fleet Hampshire. Later WOI. He is named on a list found in other documents which reads: Reference attached correspondence, I beg to state that the following NCO's MFP did duty at the Chateau near AIRE during the King's visit, October 1915, and were each awarded £1 note as an appreciation of the services rendered by them in connection with the safeguarding of the King during his visit. I myself being awarded the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver). Signed F. Willis Sergt. Major, Military Mounted Police, No. 1 Area, 6 September 1919. List of 12 names. See Item No. 8, Miscellaneous WWI information relating to Military Police.
Info from pension index cards:- PF23M. Willis, Francis Lloyd, No. 533, MMP, Widow Rhoda Willis, 2 reference numbers dated 5/7/1927 and 28/3/1927. Also:- Willis, Francis Lloyd, MMP, 533, 11/6/20 to discharge, SFJ.5272, 11/W/32337, 5/10/24. Stamp; Ad 24/6/20 at 27/8 for life, SP, Chelsea No. 25038/F, received 24/6/20.
Francis Lloyd Willis.
Francis Lloyd Willis was born in 1879 in Franche, Kidderminster, Worcestershire and was the third child of Henry Richard Willis and Mary Jane Willis. Between 1895 and 1899 Francis served as an apprentice with Marshall & Snellgrove, a London Draper, additionally he served with the 5th Volunteer Battalion, Middlesex Militia. On 21/5/1899 at Wolverley, Kidderminster he enlisted in the 1st (Royal) Dragoons with the No. 4438. He was described as being 5' 9", 151 lbs, very good physical development, blue eyes, brown hair and having scars on his forehead. He arrived in Hounslow on 5/6/1899 and completed his 3rd class certificate of education just 24 days later. In September 1899 he was hospitalised for a short period with tonsillitis and in January 1900 was posted to Shorncliffe. On 15/2/1900 L/Cpl Willis boarded the SS Lake Erie bound for South Africa, arriving in Durban on 6/7/1900. He was promoted Cpl. 21/9/1901 and unpaid L/Sgt. 19/1/1902. He was awarded the Queen and Kings South Africa Medals.
On the 11/10/1902 he returned to Shorncliffe then moved to Aldershot on 4/6/1903. On 6/6/1903 he transferred to the MMP and was allocated the No. 533. He was appointed the rank of L/Cpl and on the 1/2/1904 extended his service to complete 12 years with the colours. At All Saints Church, Fleet, Hampshire on 12/3/1905 he married Miss Rhoda Pickers. on the 29/6/1905 he passed his 2nd Class Certificate of Education. On the 18/7/1905 their first child Francis Rhoda was born in Farnborough. On the 9/10/1907 L/Cpl Willis was posted to the Curragh, Ireland, this was short lived and he returned to Shorncliffe on 10/6/1908. On the 21/11/1911 he was promoted to Corporal and posted to Dover. The second addition to the family, Marjori arrived in Dover on 22/3/1911 and on the 2/11/1911 he was promoted to Sgt. On 11/11/1911 the family returned to Aldershot.
Following General Mobilisation on the 4/8/`9`4, Sgt F L Willis was posted to HQ, 1st Army and via Southampton, found himself en route to France on the 6/8/1914 and arrived in France on the 15th. What was the earliest MID for WWI to the Military Police appeared in The Despatches of Sir John French on 8/10/1914. Sgt Willis and 566 Sgt H Brooks shared the honour of being the first MID's in WWI. The MID appeared in the London Gazette on 16/10/1914. During October 1915 Sgt. Willis acted as personal despatch rider to HM King George V on his visit to the Army in the Field. He carried out the duty to the King's satisfaction and on 1/11/1915 was presented with the medal of the Royal Victorian Order in silver. It was the first occasion the RVM has been received by a Military Policeman for duties in the field of war and only occurred once more during the reign of HM King George VI. On 13/11/1915 Sgt Willis's third daughter Margaret was born in Farnham but died five days later. On 21/12/1915 Sgt. Willis RVM, MMP was promoted to A/SSM without pay. 1/2/1916 in AO 58/1916 and the London Gazette of the same date announced the award of the DCM to A/SSM F L Willis - citation appeared in the LG on 11/3/1916.
On 14/10/1916 he was promoted to WOI (SM) F L Willis, DCM, RVM, MMP. He was admitted to hospital in Rouen on the 25/1/1917 and discharged on the 27th, re admitted on the 1/3/1917 and discharged on the 6th. He re joined HQ 1 Army on the 14/3/1917 and on the 18/3/1917 added a LSGC to his row of medals. On the 11/11/1918 he returned to the UK but returned to France on 4/1/1919. WOI (SM) Francis Lloyd Willis, DCM, RVM, MMP retired on 11/6/1920 having completed 21 years service.
Extract from the Dover Express 14 March 1913.
FURIOUS DRIVING.
At Dover Police Court on Monday, before Messrs: P. W. Jm Mackenzie (in the chair and Mr. Bradley.
James Berry, a hawker of Eythorne Green was charged with on February 26th furiously driving a pony and art in Limekiln Street.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
Mr. Vosper (assistant solicitor to the Town Clerk) prosecuted and stated that defendant was liable to a fine of 40s.
Corpl. Francis Willis, Military Mounted Police said: On February 26th, about 7 p.m., I was on dismounted duty in Limekiln Street when I saw the defendant driving a pony and cart in a reckless manner. The cart was swaying from one side to another and defendant was swaying in his seat. I thought that he was drunk. The street is a very narrow one. I thought that it was a runaway at first and I know two men who had to jump out of the way of the horse. Later I saw Inspector Lockwood at the top of Snargate Street and was telling him about the case when the defendant drove past. PO.C. Smith took the defendant's name and address in the Marke5t Square. Defendant appeared to be drunk and the horse was in a sweat as if it had been driven furiously.
Defendant said the springs of the cart were loose, which caused the cart to sway. He had only had peppermint that day and was not drunk.
The Chief Constable said defendant was brought in and was to have been charged for having been drunk and disorderly, but defendant pulled himself together so well that the police gave him the benefit of the doubt and charged him with driving furiously. Defendant had been before the Court once before for having been drunk and disorderly.
The Chairman, in telling the defendant that he would be fined 15s inclusive, advised hi to get the real peppermint next time and to keep to it. The Bench thanked Corpl. Willis for his assistance in connection with the case.
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