2nd Lieutenant, Cyril Henry BURTON
Aged 27
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Cyril Henry Burton was born in Brandon on 16th July 1888 (Thetford Q3-1888 4B:367), son of Edward Henry and Matilda Hanwell BURTON (née ALLEN). 1891 census...Aged 2, he was at Victoria House, Thetford Road, Brandon with his father Edward H BURTON [50] grocer/milliner born Methwold, Norfolk; his mother Matilda H. [39] born Brandon; grandmother, widow Mary A ALLEN [72] born Huddersfield; brothers Edward Reginald [15] and Norman Allen [3] ; sisters Dora Redfearn [12] and Muriel Anita [6 months]. All the children were born in Brandon. 1901 census...Aged 12, he was at Thetford Road, Brandon with his parents (father now Furrier's manager); sisters Dora R and Muriel A. 1911 census...Aged 22, a 2nd division Clerk at the Board of education, he was boarding at 5 Coniger Road, New Kings Road, Fulham with Alfred and Martha PEARCE and their son Francis. |
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He enlisted in Artists Rifles. Transferred to the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters..
The opening day of the 1st battle of the Somme, the worst day in British Military history, and a very detailed account in the war dairy which deserves a place here.:- "Fonquevillers - 1-7-16 Battalion in trenches, 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters on its right and was ordered to attack enemy trenches commencing at 7.20 am. "Report by Major E H Spalding on the attack of July 1st 1916 by the 7th (Robin Hood) Battn, Sherwood Foresters." In accordance with the Brigade orders the 7th Battn (SF) Robin Hoods) attacked the German lines, the objective being the capture and consolidation of the German trenches from the point of the LITTLE Z to the junction of FONT and C.T. ORINOC. The battalion was detailed to attack in 5 waves, the first four waves were composed of "A", "B", "C" Coys in lines of platoons, the fifth wave "D" Coy being a carrying and digging company. The first wave was formed up in our new front line trench, the 2nd and third waves in our old front line trench, the 4th were in the 1st retrenchments and the 5th wave in GREEN STREET. As detailed in orders the smoke was discharged at 7:27 am and at the same time the 2nd wave commenced to file through the gaps in our wire. The first wave moved out at 7:30 am from the new advanced trench, the 3rd wave commenced to move out through the gaps in our wire when the second wave got clear. Owing to the density of the smoke these three waves were soon lost to sight from the old front line. Out of these 3 waves only about 12 men reached the German second line, they found the wire was sufficiently cut for them to get through; this small party was in the second line until the smoke cleared, and finding they were not supported by any other of our men and that a number of Germans were approaching them from the dugouts, they fell back on the German 1st line trench, about 5 reaching it. In this trench were about 24 of our men who had been endeavouring to make some sort of fire position; before this could be done the Germans made a bombing attack, both from the right and left, our men were unable to offer much resistance, their rifles in some cases being muddy, and having no supply of bombs, eventually those that were left retired and took shelter in shell holes, immediately WEST of the German wire, remaining there until dark. A small party of bombers, under the Battalion Bomb Officer, 2 Lt C.H.Burton worked their way up the C.T. (communication trench) and advanced beyond the German 2nd line, bombing several dugouts on the way, and accounting for a number of Germans, this party however had to fall back eventually. In the meantime the 4th wave moving up from the retrenchment, their advance being delayed by the state of the trench, moved out from the fire trench, but found when reaching the new advanced trench the smoke had cleared and(though a number of men attempted and a few succeeded) it was practically impossible to advance owing to the machine gun fire. The 5th wave (the carrying and digging party) were delayed in getting into position in the fire trench by the state of the C.T. The trenches by this time were subjected to a very heavy enfilade artillery fire from the direction of Monchy, and the carrying company when getting over the parapet and moving through the wire suffered heavy casualties, the O.C. Company was skilled, and the only two subalterns wounded, very few of this wave advanced beyond the old fire trench. The smoke was quite clear between the German 1st line and our new advanced trench by 7:55 am and this seriously affected the advance, efforts were made to get the remaining portions of the 4th wave and carrying Coy to advance on the expected resumption of the smoke, but no more was sent over. The artillery fire was kept up on our trenches all morning and accounted for a great number of casualties amongst the men occupying them. In accordance with orders, a party was organised to carry boxes of bombs, formed up in two waves to follow a company of 6th Sherwood Foresters. the advance to take place under cover of smoke at 3:30 pm. This advance however did not take place. The following casualties occurred during the foregoing operations:- Major LA HIND, Comdg Officer..missing believed killed; Capt RM GOTCH, Adjutant..missing believed killed; Capt WEG WALKER, Sig Officer..Killed; Capt AA WALTON, OC "C" Coy wounded; Capt WH ROUND, OC "D" Coy..killed; Capt TH LEMAN, OC "A" Coy missing believed killed; Lieut J Macpherson OC "B" Coy killed. 2nd Lieutenants WE FLINT, AH WILKINS, JHC FLETCHER, A CHARLES missing, believed killed (all died); CW SHELTON, SE CAIRNS, SL LANCASTER, HD HEMPTON, SE BANWELL and JE GARNER, wounded. 2nd Lieutenants HD BURTON and JF BISHOP..missing. (both died) Other Ranks..Killed 43, Missing believed killed 27, Missing believed wounded 10, missing 116, wounded 189, wounded at duty 39, a total of 424. 9 to 11 pm Battn withdrawn and marched to BIENVILLERS, being relieved in trenches by 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters. click here to go to the Brandon at War website for more information CWGC have the eventual total of deaths in the 1st/7th Battalion on July 1st 1917 as 190 of all ranks, and of these only 44 have an identified grave, the rest are named on the Thiepval memorial. The start of the operation click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
