Burton, John

John was born in Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 16 June 1882, the eldest son of John Worboys Burton and Margaret Jane (nee Humphreys) Burton.  He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

John enlisted initially in 1914 with the Territorial Force, Regimental Number 6077.  In August 1916 he transferred the 18^th Battalion London Regiment, a unit of the Territorial Force, Regimental Number 593316.  This battalion was involved in various battles in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders, around Vimy Ridge, The Somme and Ypres.  In 1917 John received a severe wound to his hand and was transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Regimental Number 047804.  He survived the War.

He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

In 1901 John was a brewer’s labourer living in Wood Green, London with his uncle William Worboys and his family.

John married Charlotte Edith Reed on 12 September 1910 in Wood Green, London.  The 1911 census shows him living in Paddington, London, a drapery despatch clerk, with his wife They had five children, Gladys Irene born 1911, Leslie John born 1912, Leonard Douglas born 1914, Eric Wilfred born 1915, and Joan Ivy born 1917.  The 1939 census shows them still living in Paddington, London with John a dispatch clerk.

John died on 9 April 1959.  The wills of both Charlotte and John show their address as Willesden, London

John’s brothers, Harry, Frank and Percy Humphreys,  served in the War and survived.