On the outbreak of war in 1939 Frank immediately volunteered for active service, indicated a preference for the Royal Air Force and was successful

 

Initial training took place at Uxbridge, followed by twelve weeks at EFTS Bridegenorth, Salop, and No 2 School of Technical Training at St Athan, Glamorgan.

 

On completion of his training Frank was assigned to 210 Squadron, Coastal Command, and posted to Oban, Scotland, in December 1940.

 

In January 1941, a detachment of three Sunderlands from 210 Squadron at Pembroke Dock became 95 Squadron and soon after, early in February 1941, flew out to Gibraltar to begin patrolling the convoy routes of the Atlantic and the entrance to the Mediterranean.

 

After flying patrols, the Squadron began to arrive at its base at Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 17 March to begin anti-submarine patrols over the South Atlantic. In July 1941, activities by Vichy reconnaissance aircraft resulted in a flight of Hurricanes being added to the Squadron, this becoming 128 Squadron on 7 October 1941.

 

In March 1943 the Squadron moved to Gambia, operating detachments from Sierra Leone, Dakar and Liberia for the rest of the war. On 30 June 1945, the Squadron disbanded.

 

In January 1942 Frank went with 95 Squadron to West Africa where he remained until October 1942.

 

After this tour Frank went to Kiladee in Northern Ireland for twelve months as an Instructor with 131 Operational Training Unit.

 

In October 1943 Frank joined 279 Squadron at Bircham Newton in Norfolk where he stayed until January 1944, at which point he was assigned to 281 Squadron at Thornaby.

 

The squadron moved to Tiree in the Hebrides where it was operational from March 1944 until April 1945.

 

Frank appeared before the Medical Board at Catterick in April 1945 and the next month joined Transport Command at Netherhaven, Wiltshire where he remained until his discharge from the RAF in March 1946.

 

At the date of discharge Frank had flown on 143 sorties for a total of 1,259 operational flying hours (131 at night-time) and a total of 1,795 flying hours.