Nathan (John) Burton

Rank 
Private
Regiment 
Essex Regiment
Date of death 
23 August 1918
Age of death 
19
Address 
1 Tower Villas
Cowslip Road
South Woodford
Woodford
Essex
E18 1JN
Address source 
1911 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
France
Biography 

Born in 1899 at Woodford, son of Walter (Carman) and Zederena Burton. 1901: With his family at 1 Marion Terrace, Granville Road, South Woodford. 1911: Now recorded in the Census as John, with his parents at 1 Tower Villas, Cowslip Road, South Woodford. He enlisted in the Army at Walthamstow.

The Battalion was some 10 miles south of Arras when on 21st August 1918, they moved to forward assembly points near Achiet le Petit. On 23rd August 1917 they would engage in the Battle of Bapaume, which was an aspect of the Second Battle of Amiens.

With other Regiments and following the creeping barrage they moved forward at 11.08 on 23rd August, the objective being Achiet le Grand, including the railway, brickworks and the nearby spur of land. 1 Essex progress was halted approaching the spur to the south of the brickworks, when they came under heavy machine gun fire from several locations. The arrival of a tank which overcame resistance from a trench allowed the Battalion to proceed and by 14.00 they had secured the railway line. A later advance at 17.45 was stopped by machine gun fire at the ridge in front of Grevillers, and the men were withdrawn. In conjunction with the other Regiments which were operating further along the line, the gains of the day were then consolidated. 1 Essex, with 112 Brigade was in a line slightly in the rear, southward from Achiet le Grand.

During the fighting, Nathan Burton had been Killed in Action.

X/R: Private Albert Edward Burton DCM (Brother)

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Sources:

Ancestry.com

Regimental History