Francis Ashton Warner
Francis Ashton Warner
Date of Birth 17 January 1870
Place of Residence Launceston Tasmania Australia
Spouses Name Not married
Childrens Names Not known

Francis Ashton (Frank) Warner was born on 17 Jan 1870 at Subathoo, West Bengal, India. He was the eldest child of Lieutenant Colonel Ashton Henry Warner (1839-1912), of the 41st (Welsh) Regiment. His father had been a governor of the Hobart Gaol, and was a colonel in command of the Northern Volunteers in 1888. Frank's mother was Elizabeth Sparrowe (or Spanowe) Hastings. Frank's siblings were Evelyn, born in India in 1872, and two others born in Launceston: Hugh in 1886 and Gladys in 1888.

Frank was serving as a private in Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry during the Boer War when, on 24 Jan1900, he was killed in action at the battle of Spion Kop, Natal, South Africa, while binding the wounds of a comrade. He was 30 years old. His name is on a brass plaque in the chapel at the Launceston Church Grammar School, where he was a student.

Reg A Watson, Marion Sargent & Barbara Valentine Jul 2010