Born in 1895 at Woodford, son of Edwin Harold (Bankers Clerk) and Edith Britton. 1901: With family at Pangbourne Villa Stanley Road, South Woodford. 1911: A Schoolboy with his family at “Rosslyn” Churchfields, South Woodford.
Volunteered for naval service one week after the war started, and joined the Marconi Service from 14th September 1914. He went to sea and remained serving until his death. In January 1916 he transferred to the Royal Navy Transport Service and sailed continually in the near east.
SS “Trocas” was a steam tanker built in 1893, operated by the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. It was travelling from Abadan to Salonika with a cargo of oil when it was torpedoed by UC 23 (Hans Georg Lubbe), sinking 10 miles north east of Skyro Lighthouse in the Aegean Sea. John Britton was one of 24 men lost.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Woodford Times