Mr Frank Bendell (Fireman) was born in Christchurch, Hampshire, England on 17 September 1888.

He was the son of William Thomas Bendell (1860-1954), a general labourer, and Charlotte Mutter (1866-1955). His father was also native to Christchurch whilst his mother hailed from Portland, Dorset and they had married in 1883.

Frank was one of eight surviving children from a total of nine and his known siblings were: Thomas William (1884-1965), George (1886-1951), Rosa (1890-1972, later Mrs Maurice Remnant), Bertie (1894-1918), Frederick Charles (b. 1899), Arthur Herbert (b. 1905) and Mabel Annie (b. 1907).

Frank first appears on the 1891 census living with his family at Fairmile in Christchurch but the family moved to Sholing, Southampton sometime in the late 1890s, later appearing on the 1901 census living at an unspecified address in that district. By the time of the 1911 census Frank and his family are living at 26 Woodley Road, Woolston, Itchen and he is described as an unmarried marine fireman.

When he signed on to the Titanic, on 6 April 1912, Frank gave his address as 26 Woodley Road, Woolston and his previous ship as the Kildonan Castle. As a fireman he could expect to earn monthly wages of £6.

Frank died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

His family remained in Southampton; his father died in 1954 and his mother the following year. His brother Bertie also served in the Merchant Marine and during WWI was aboard the SS Galway Castle, of the Union Castle Line, when that ship was torpedoed on 12 September 1918. Bertie was among the lost. Another brother, Frederick Charles, was aboard the HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the Titanic, when she struck a mine in the Aegean on 21 November 1916. Frederick survived but what became of him in later years is not certain.