‘Tim’ France was born on 15 June 1913 and educated at Allhallows School, Honiton. Appointed to a commission in the Indian Army from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst on 31 August 1933 and promoted to Lieutenant in November 1935. Lieutenant Edwin Stuart Rainier France, 3rd Battalion (Duke of Connaught’s Own), 7th Rajput Regiment was killed in action on 9 April 1937 at Shahur Tangi.