Name
Louis Burton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/06/1917
42
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Major
Royal Field Artillery
"D" Battery, 70th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. HILAIRE CEMETERY, FREVENT
III. A. 3
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial
Pre War
Born Norwich, eldest son of Robert and Alice Burton, of Norwich; husband of Edith Burton, of 32, Broadwater Avenue, Letchworth, Herts.
He was a professional soldier who had joined the Royal Artillery in 1900 and had progressed through the ranks to become a Battery Sergeant Major and Instructor of Gunnery at the Artillery Schools in Shoeburyness and Larkhill.
Served in Bangalore, India as Battery Sergeant Major. 8th Battery & No 10 Ammunition Column. Instructor of Gunnery at Shoeburyness & Larkhill. D Battery, 70th Brigade.
By the time the Great War began, Louis had already served in the Royal Artillery for over 14 years.
Wartime Service
He arrived in France in September 1914 and saw much service on the Western Front, taking part in many of the major battles of the Great War in the Ypres Salient and on the Somme.
He was in command of “D” Battery, 70th Brigade, which, throughout May 1917, were in action at Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, supporting the infantry actions in the Battle of Arras. At the end of the month they moved to a rest area near the village of Conchy-Sur-Canche, 25 miles East of Arras. On the 8th June 1917 Louis Burton was in Galametz, along with two of his men, when a runaway General Service wagon, pulled by several horses, dashed past them. Louis Burton jumped up on his horse and ordered his men to follow him as he gave chase. After riding for about a quarter of a mile it appears that the horse slipped and fell, dragging Louis with it. He returned to his unit that night but was in some pain and was taken to a Field Hospital where he was kept under observation. Although it was initially believed that his injuries were minor, his pain and discomfort continued to heighten. Eventually, he was moved to No.6 Stationary Hospital at Frevent, where died the following day.
A post mortem revealed that the cause of death had been a torn lower intestine. Louis Burton is buried at St.Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent, France.
Additional Information
Son, Howard Burton, became Wing Commander; killed in action during World War 2. Great War forum. Medals applied for in 1960.
Acknowledgments
Dan Hill, Louise Fryer, Jonty Wild
