Frank Wesley Sopwith was the son of Alfred Sopwith, company secretary (later to become commercial manager of the iron and steel department of Palmers shipbuilding and iron company) and his wife, Elizabeth.

Frank joined the High School from Miss Green's Prep School in South Shields, and left in July, 1913, to attend Durham College of Medicine.

He joined the 251st Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, possibly in 1915, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 1-Jun-1916.

While in action in France in May, 1918, he was reported missing and later as having died on 27-May-1918.

He is buried at the Vendress British Cemetery, about 30km to the north-west of Reimmes