Cpl 57698 Harold Burton

• Age: 21
• From: Nottingham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 18th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Mont-noir M C St Jans-cappel
  Panel Ref: II.D.7

Harold was born in the March quarter of 1897 at Radford, Nottingham,  the son of John Edward Burton and his wife Annie (nee Fidler). His parents married on 24th December 1892 at St Peter's Church, Radford, Nottingham. 

At the time of the 1901 Census Harold is aged 4 and is living at 25 Tyne St, Nottingham with his parents and three siblings. His father John E. Burton is a 27 year old cycle maker born in Radford,  whilst his mother Annie is 29. His siblings are listed as;  James Henry 7, John E. 6, both born in Radford, and Ellen aged 1 born in Lenton

By the time of the 1911 Census he is aged 14 and is a printers errand boy, living with his widowed mother and four siblings at 53 Mitchell St, Nottingham. His mother Annie is 39 and a shop keeper. She advised that she had been married for 19 years and had seven children of whom one had died. Harold's siblings are listed as; James Henry aged 18 and a law clerk, John Edward aged 16 is a clothiers assistant,  both Ellen 11 and Elsie 7 are at school.

Harold enlisted in Nottingham and originally served as 408, Northumberland Divisional Cyclist Company and following a transfer was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal No 57698 when he was killed in action on the 18th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. 

The Battalion diary entry for the day reveals that 10 Other Ranks were killed during heavy shelling of the area.  

18^th April

No aggressive action on either side. The activity being confined to artillery. The French had come up in great force and  assisted our artillery with the famous “75s”. The Battn came under heavy shell fire at one period. 10 O.R. being killed and 3 wounded.

The weather, which up to this time had been quite good, turned and snow, rain and hail fell.

Harold was one of those ten men killed and he now rests at Mont-Noir Military Cemetery, St. Jans-Cappel, France.

The hill was captured by the Cavalry Corps on the 13th October 1914, and held throughout the Battles of the Lys, 1918. On the North side of the Berthen-Westoutre road, is the Battle Memorial of the 34th Division, marking the final position of Divisional Headquarters in the Battles of the Lys. The Cemetery was made in April-September 1918, and at the Armistice it contained 91 British graves and 33 French (all of the 26th Dragoons or the 88th Infantry Regiment). It was then enlarged by the concentration of British and French graves (including one of November 1914) from the battlefields immediately South of it and the following cemetery:- WOLFHOEK BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. JANS-CAPPEL, which was by the roadside, nearly 200 metres South-West of the hamlet of Wolfhoek and contained the graves of 23 United Kingdom soldiers. It was made in August-September 1918, mainly by the 36th (Ulster) Division. Also, near the centre of the cemetery, are the graves of two unidentified British soldiers of the 1939-1945 War. There are now 149 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here, 15 being unidentified. There are 2 unidentified Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here. There are also 84 French burials of the 1914-1918 war here. The cemetery covers an area of 1,315 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall.

He was officially reported as killed in the Sheffield Telegraph of 07th June 1918

Extra family information taken from the service records of his brother Pte #86282 John Edward Burton MGC. Next of Kin; Annie Burton 4 Institute Terrace, Hartley Road, Radford. Employed by Raleigh Cycle Co., Nottingham (this is most probably also his father's employer from the 1901 census)

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Annie

Harold is also comemorated on the Memorial at St John the Baptist in Carrington, Nottingham. 

We currently have no further information on Harold Burton, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.