Sister Francis, daughter of Chorley Pal Henry Calderbank celebrated her 97th birthday on Bank Holiday Monday.
Sister Francis at Serre in 2010 with Nigel Stevens from CWCG and Steve Williams
She unveiled the Chorley Pals Memorial at a ceremony in the town on the 28th February 2010.
Born Kathleen Calderbank, the youngest of six children, she never knew her father as he was killed in action at Hollebeke near Ypres in August 1917; his body was never found and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres.
Still seen around Chorley with her companion, Sister Paschal, she has been a nun for most of her adult life.
She has visited the First World War battlefields on numerous occasions over the years - the last time was in May 2010 when she also presented a photograph of the Pals Memorial to the staff at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Arras where the names were engraved.
Over the last few years Sister Francis has been interviewed by BBC North West Tonight and Granda TV news programmes, BBC Radio Lancashire and BBC Radio 4 and by well known First World War author, Richard Van Emden.
Her story was featured on our Facebook page and Twitter, as well as the ‘Chorley then & now’ Facebook page.
