|
|
| Private Thomas Bertram NORTON (30232) | |
|
120th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) Date of birth: 7th February 1882 Date of death: 9th August 1917 Killed in action aged 35 Buried at Fins New British Cemetery Plot I Row A Grave 5 |
|
| Thomas Bertram Norton was born at Keddington Road, Louth in Lincolnshire on the 7th of February 1882 the second son of Henry Norton, a gardener and rose grower, and Emily (nee Tuxworth) Norton of 40 Railway Cottages, Louth. He worked as an assistant rose grower in Lincolnshire before moving to Shoreham where he worked as a servant at Lancing College. Following the outbreak of war he enlisted at Worthing as Private 5333 in the Royal Sussex Regiment but was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. On the 9th of August 1917 the 120th Machine Gun Company, part of 40th Division, was holding support positions near the village of Fins. The Company war diary describes the weather that day as unsettled with intermittent showers and that artillery and aerial activity from both sides was “below normal”. During the day, however, an enemy aircraft flew over the Company’s position and dropped a 40lb bomb which exploded killing Thomas Norton and wounding 2nd Lieutenant W.M.E. Attale-Graham who was evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station. |
|
| College Servant |
Back