Leslie Francis was born on 26 October 1895, the son of the Rev W B K Francis Royal Navy and Florence Louise Francis of Bedford.  He entered the Royal Navy at the Royal Naval College Osborne in September 1908.  Prior to service in submarines he saw action at the battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 in the battleship HMS HERCULES.  He was washed overboard from HMS L9 on 12 July 1918 whilst trying to recover the WT aerial which had carried away in heavy weather.  His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

BD; Leslie Cyril Kendall Francis Lost overboard from Submarine L9 on 12^th July 1918

Leslie Francis was born on 26^th October 1895 and he was the son of the Reverend Walter Bernard Kendall Francis, Royal Navy, and Florence Louise Francis of 27, Campbell Road, Bedford.  He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at the Royal Naval College, Osborne on the Isle of Wight on 15^th September 1908.  He was promoted to Midshipman on 15^th May 1913 and was appointed to the 20,000-ton Battleship HMS HERCULES (Captain Henry H Bruce, MVO, Royal Navy) on the same date and ‘on Recommissioning on 2^nd September 1913.  He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 15^th December 1915.  Leslie Francis joined HMS DOLPHIN (Nominal List of 1^st September 1916) ‘for Submarine training’ and then ‘for Fort Blockhouse’.  This was followed by an appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship  HMS EUROPA originally ‘for Submarine E12 as First Lieutenant’ but this was changed to ‘Submarine E21 as First Lieutenant’ on 1^st November 1916.  In January he was noted as ‘On passage home’ travelling from Marseilles in the SS EURYLOCHUS and he re-joined HMS DOLPHIN on 23^rd January 1918.  The Nominal List of 1^st April 1918 listed him as appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS TITANIA (11^th Submarine Flotilla) at Blyth ‘for Submarine L9 as First Lieutenant (standing by whilst completing & on commissioning)’.  Submarine L9 was transferred to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE (9^th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich –see Nominal List of 30^th May 1918.  Leslie Francis died on 12^th July 1918 when he was accidentally drowned after he was washed overboard from Submarine L9 and his lifeline broke.  There was an investigation which reported that ‘no blame was attached to anyone’.  Aged twenty two at the time of his death Leslie Francis is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 28.