Born in 1897 at Woodford, son of George (Wholesale Tea and Coffee Dealer, later a Blender and Expert Taster) and Annie Gertrude Compton. 1901: With his family at “Clevedon” Chelmsford Road, South Woodford. 1911: A schoolboy still with his family at "Clevedon” Chelmsford Road. At Bancroft’s School he was good at football but excelled at swimming.
He joined the Essex Regiment as a Private at the start of the war, leaving the school in order to do so. Soon Commissioned into 5 Essex, he served with them in Gallipoli from September 1915 for the duration of the Campaign. Evacuated to Egypt, he returned to the UK in June 1916, and subsequently went to the front at Ypres and was attached to 10 Essex. While there he heard his brother had been posted nearby and went to see him. On arrival he learned that Guy had been killed by a shell two days earlier on 27th July 1917.
On 12th August 1917, Rex was Second in Command of his Company during the 3rd Battle of Ypres. He volunteered to lead 15 Platoon against a German pillbox at the corner of Inverness Copse opposite Clapham Junction using the cover of a larger attack. This infantry attack was cancelled but the artillery barrage began. Having placed his men under cover, Rex then decided to proceed against the pillbox taking advantage of the ongoing barrage. Only when the attackers were advancing over 150 yards of open ground did it become starkly clear that the shells were falling beyond the German lines. German machine gunners easily spotted the attackers and opened fire. Compton was hit in the head about 75 yards out, and fell with his Platoon Sergeant. Only one man reached the pillbox, but could not gain entry and took cover, creeping back to British lines after dark.
The Compton family was inclined to believe Rex may have been trying to avenge his brother’s death, and their view is supported by the narrative of the Battalion History. This adds that, had his attack proved successful in destroying the “troublesome pillbox”, Rex Compton may have been in line for a Victoria Cross.
X/R: Second Lieutenant Guy Compton (Brother).
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Woodford Times
The Bancroftian
Regimental History
For more information on this individual please see The Old Bancroftian website.