Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1895 in the Ormskirk R.D. - ref: 8b/798,
the son of Thomas & Margaret Ellen Barton (nee McCormick).

1901 Census - 130 High Park Road, Southport, Lancashire.   Son - aged: 5 -
born: Southport.   Head of household - Thomas Barton - Married -aged: 35 -
occ: Labourer at Electric Works - born: Southport.   Also - Margaret E.
Barton - Wife - aged: 34 - occ: Charwoman - born: Southport.   Plus 2
brothers.

1911 Census - 20 Dale Square, Broadheath.   Son - aged: 15 - born:
Southport, Lancashire.   Head of household - Thomas Barton - Married -aged:
42 - occ: Labourer at Linotype Printing Machine Works - born: Southport.  
Also - Margaret E. Barton - Wife - aged: 42 - born: Southport.  Thomas &
Margaret had produced 9 children, 7 of whom had died.   Plus 1 younger
brother.

Employed by the Castleton Steam Packing Co, Broadheath.

Joined the Territorials in 1912.   Travelled by train from Cambridge down
to Southampton on 14/02/1915 and embarked on the S.S. Oxamian, landing at
Havre the next day.  Travelled to Bailleul on the 17th and on the 19th
joined the 5th Division, 14 Brigade. at Neuve Eglise, where they began
instruction in forward trenches near Messines.  

MIC -  states that he was awarded the 1915 Star, plus the BWM & VM.   He
was drafted to France on the 15th February 1915 and lasted just over two
weeks before he was killed.

Whilst in the front trenches, he was struck by a piece of shell shrapnel. 
Death reported in the 19/03/1915 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.

The third man from the 1/5th Bn Cheshire Rgt to be killed at the front -
the first in 1915.

Commemorated on the private family gravestone in Hale Cemetery which states
that he was Kia.

His father, Thomas died in 1919 and his mother, Margaret died in 1946.

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1916, which states
that he lived at Dale Street, Altrincham.