see www.flickr.com/photos/porkynz/4312900899/?addedcomment=1#…

In memory of
Aileen Doris GUNN
the dearly loved daughter of
Frederick Wyatt & Katie J FRANCIS
Died 18th June 1894 aged 6 months
also
Lt-Col Frederic [sic] Wyatt FRANCIS VD ['Volunteer Officers' Decoration' *]
Commanding 4th Regiments N.Z.R.R. [New Zealand Rough Riders]
2nd Brigade Rhodesia Field Force
South Africa
beloved husband of
Katie J FRANCIS
and youngest son of the late
John Perry Gunn FRANCIS of Prebbleton
Died 31 March 1901aged 44 years
Peace perfect Peace

Father, In thy gracious keeping
leave we now thy servant sleeping
Also
Catherine Julia
Wife of the above
Died 10th Sept 1932 aged 72 years

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Wyatt Francis, V.D., sometime Commanding the North Canterbury Infantry Battalion, was born in Essex, England, in 1856. He arrived in Lyttelton in the following year with his parents by the barque ‘Cornubia’, and was educated at Mr. Gee’s Grammar School in Christchurch. After serving for four years in the Postal Department, he joined the firm of Messrs Crowe and Co., wine and spirit merchants, as a partner, and for about eight years held his interest in that business. In 1887 he joined Messrs Manning and Co., as traveller, and was for many years closely identified with that firm. He began his connection with the volunteer force in 1874, when he joined the City Guards as a Private. In 1878 he obtained promotion to the rank of Sub-lieutenant, Lieutenant in 1681, and Adjutant with the rank of Captain [1]

Obituary:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

14 Aug 1897 – Presentation of Imperial decoration for Officers for long service awarded:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Invited to visit Prince and Princess of Wales at Sandringham – 1900
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

1900 – 4th contingent split and FRANCIS made Major:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Presented to Queen Victoria, December 1900 a month before her death.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

23 Jan 1901 approx – Seddon visits FRANCIS onboard due to his illness
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Return of Col FRANCIS:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Col FRANCIS unwell at Kimberley:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Report on the collapse and death of Col FRANCIS [died at 11pm]
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Flags hoisted half mast:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Grave of Lt Col Fancis’s mother in Linwood Cemetery also:
www.flickr.com/photos/porkynz/4334074526/

“Col Francis in Khaki”
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

Account of his funeral, including the Premier:
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=s…

References:
[1]http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc03Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d17-d8.html
shared under creative commons creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nz/

*Thanks so much to Jamie McKay of nzhistory.net.nz for researching this for me