South Yorkshire Times August 16, 1947

First Chelsea Pensioner
Mexborough Veteran Of Five Reigns
Service Leaves Today

Today, 70 year old Mr Frank Silverwood, 22 Market St, Mexborough, soldier in five rain, Lee’s Mexborough to become the town’s first direct Chelsea pensioner.

At 15, a Drummer boy, this old soldier performed 25 years army service – and completed his recent with her duty as an air raid warden in World War II

Five Medals

Mr Silverwood, member of a well-known Mexborough family and brother of the late Councillor S Silverwood, first enlisted at Pontefract on February 26, 1892, in the York and Lancaster Regiment.

Some drummer boy he became signaller, and was an active service throughout the South African War and through most of World War I.

In 1897 he was is the Indian Famine; in the Great War be was in the Retreat from Mons.

This bemedalled soldier came home from India after eight years overseas – and his mother did not recognise him. “I look so well,” Mr Silverwood told the “South Yorkshire Times.”

He holds five medals and a proud occasion was it appears in the official celebrations in London for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. During these festivities he saw the Queen.

Mr Silverwood finally left the service in 1918, but he was an early volunteer the last war as a warden in Mexborough and B became a paid one

between was who was employed at Kilnhurst colliery and for a 8 ½ years was with Messrs Montague Burton, Mexborough

Mr Silverwood is proud of the fact that he is the first Chelsea Pensioner from Mexborough and grateful for the assistance he has received from the Vicar of Mexborough, the Rev. A J Bishop, Mex-borough British Legion and Coun. J T Hanby in securing his admission to the Royal Hospital.

“There was a previous Pensioner, but he came from Roman Terrace and at that time Roman Terrace was in Swinton. To all ex-Servicemen I strongly advise them to Join the Legion, their own organisation,” he said.

A smart figure in scarlet this new recruit will look.