Previous Service – 3 years with 87th Battalion Senior Cadets
10/12/1914- Joined 11th Battalion Blackboy Hill WA
10/02/1915- Promoted SECOND LIEUTENANT with 11th Battalion
20/05/1915- To Overseas Base Egypt ex Australia
22/06/1915- Joined 11th Battalion in the field Gallipoli
6/08/1915- Wounded in Action Gallipoli ( Shell Wounds to penetrate Abdomen & Hand )
06/08/1915- Admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station Anzac Cove, Gallipoli ( Dangerously Ill ) then transferred to Hospital Ship
6/08/1915- DIED OF WOUNDS Received in Action Anzac Gallipoli- Died at 8.20pm on Board Hospital Ship ” Sicilia “-
07/08/1915- Buried at Sea- Attended by Chaplin Teale
11/12/1915- MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES 10/08/1915 by Sir Ian Hamilton
Service Medals Awarded
1914/15 Star – No. 2574
British War Medal – No. 10951
Victory Medal – No. 10905
Memorial Plaque/Scroll – No. 356006
Memorial Inscriptions
Subiaco Fallen Soldiers Memorial WA
Lone Pine Memorial Anzac Gallipoli – Panel No. 33
Australian War Memorial Canberra – Panel No. 62
HONOURS/AWARDS
(1)-MENTION IN DESPATCHES– Related to action at Leane’s Trench as described in Franklyn’s Handwritten Report:- ” Report on operations dated 1/08/1915-Capture of Leane’s Trench- On the night of the 31st July , according to instructions, I led a party of fifty men of “D” Company to take the Turkish trench in front of our position at Tasmania Post. Having arrived at the parapet of the Turkish trench we poured a heavy fire into the defenders, whom we then drove out in a state of panic at the point of the bayonet. I immediately got into communication with “C” Company under Captain Jackson on my left. On my right I found I had a party of the enemy between my party and “B” Company.
A Corporal I do not know his name, suggested that a small party should charge the intervening Turks . I therefore went out with a party of about 12 men and made a dash at the Turks on my right, we were met by a fire of about sixty rifles and had to retire to our former position. Reinforcements arriving drove the abovementioned Turks out of their position and enabled us to get in touch with “B” Company on my right.
I should like to mention splendid work by a Second Lieutenant of the Engineers, whose name I do not know, he kept bringing up a constant supply of sand bags , picks & shovels under a continual heavy fire. Of the men I cannot single out anyone for any special mention, as the bahaviour of the whole was splendid”.
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 6 April 1916
Location in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: Page 862, Position 42
Date of London Gazette: 28 January 1916
Location in London Gazette: Page 1208, Position 108
(2)-RECOMMENDATION FOR MILITARY CROSS
“Franklyn ( Dangerously Wounded ) on the morning of the 6th August ( together with Second Lieutenant Prockter, Charlton Hogarth-Killed in this action ) led counter attacks against that portion of Leane’s Trench the enemy had captured. These attacks had to be launched and led across the open, under very heavy shrapnel, machine gun , and rifle fire at close range. The first led by Second Lieutenant Prockter got to the trench, but failed to retake it, all but three or four men being killed or wounded. The second led by Second Lieutenant Franklyn carried the Trench, although under even heavier fire. The dash and gallant leading of these two officers was most remarkable, and resulted in the retention of the work and complete discomfiture of the enemy”
( 3 )- AWARDED AUSTRALIAN MILITARY ORDER- Army Corps Routine Orders 10/08/1915 ( Australian Military Order No. 733 of 1915 ).
” *COMPLIMENTARY: The Army Corps Commander wishes to thank 2nd Lieut, J. W. FRANCKLYN ( Died of Wounds ), 11th Battalion for the gallant and good work he performed on the night of 31 July – 1 August in connection with the taking of a Turkish trench “.
(Neither Franklyn or Prockter were officially awarded the Military Cross, despite the above recommendation, which is an injustice to their outstanding bravery and leadership. This author wonders whether this is an accidental Army Records bungle, as much of this information is recorded under a Second Lieutenant J. F. Franklyn, who did not exist. Only the Mentioned in Despatches Records are correctly located under Second Lieutenant J.W. Franklyn. If possible, this failure to award the Military Cross to both Franklyn & Prockter should be investigated/rectified by the Department of Defence).