Name
Frank Barron Morton
2 Jun 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/10/1918
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
M2/116901
Army Service Corps
1039th Motor Transport Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATBY MEMORIAL
Egypt
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial,
St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley,
Church of Ascension Memorial, Bedmond,
Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans,
Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans
Biography
Frank Morton’s association with Abbots Langley came about when he married Edith Alice Bonner in the Autumn of 1909. The Bonner family lived at Breakspeare Farm in Bedmond in August 1914, Percy and Charles Bonner joined up with the Civil Service Rifles whilst they mobilised in the village early in the War.
Frank Barron was born on 2 Jun 1884 in Burton upon Trent. He was the eldest son of Henry Robert Morton, a marine engineer, and Clara Ann (nee Phillips). The family eventually comprised five sons and six daughters. On the 1891 Census the family were living at 61 Castle Street, Southwark, where Henry was employed as a Brewer’s Civil Engineer. Frank attended St Saviours Grammar School, Southwark from Apr 1892. The family was recorded at the same address in the 1901 Census, but by 1911, Frank had married Edith Bonnor at Edmonton in 1909, and was working as an Engineer’s Mechanic and living at 118 Midmoor Road, Balham. A son, Eric Frank, was born on 22 Dec 1909.
Frank enlisted as Private M2/116901 in the Army Service Corps. He went to Egypt on 12 Sep 1915. No Service Records have been discovered.
Frank Morton was not listed in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour at any point throughout the War. He was however reported in the Magazine: “Frank Barron Morton of the A.S.C died at sea on October 20th (sic) 1918, on his way home on leave. Mr Morton is well known to most of us here, and we offer to her and her little boy our sincere sympathy. Great sorrow will also be felt for Mr and Mrs Bonnor for this double grief which has fallen upon them”.
The Magazine reported Frank’s death on 20th October, but all the official records indicated that he died on 17th October. The “double grief” for the Bonnor family was caused by the news that their son Charles, had died of enteric on 18th October 1918, in hospital, near Boulogne, France – the day after Frank, their son-in-law died on the way home.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission recorded that Frank had died at sea whilst returning to England. The Parish Magazine indicated that he was returning on leave, which may have been the case. However as he was returning on HMHS “Assaye” (a Hospital Ship), and died at sea, and was subsequently buried at sea, he may have been wounded or taken ill, and was being transported back to England for treatment when he died.
Frank died on the same day as two other Abbots Langley men – Leonard Dickinson (1st Northampton’s) and Albert Charles Lee (11th Essex) both in France.
Frank Morton was commemorated on the Chatby War Memorial at Alexandria, Egypt, on the Abbots Langley War Memorial, and on the War Memorial at the Church of the Ascension at Bedmond.
War Gratuity of £18 10s and arrears of 20 19 2 was paid to his widow.
Frank Morton’s date of death was confirmed by the official records as 17th October, and as he was returning on a Hospital Ship may have been wounded or sick, and died as a result. Charles’ brother, Percy, also served with the Civil Service Rifles in France from 18 Mar 1915 until 7 Feb 1919 surviving the conflict.
Additional Information
Died at Sea
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
