Found an interesting headstone behind a Border Regiment headstone i went to take for Spike yesterday. It was the actual family headstone for this chap and on it is remembering his 2 brothers who also died in 1918. WALTON, A W Rank:Lance Serjeant Service No:15846 Date of Death:14/11/1918 Age:28 Regiment/Service:Border Regiment 8th Bn. Grave ReferenceNorth. 5. CemeteryBRIGHAM (ST. BRIDGET) CHURCHYARD Additional Information: Son of T. W. Walton; husband of L. E. Walton, of 4, Horsman St., Cockermouth. Born at Brigham, Cockermouth. WALTON, JOSEPH STANLEY Rank:Private Service No:27644 Date of Death:13/04/1918 Age:21 Regiment/Service:Grenadier Guards 2nd Bn. Panel ReferenceBay 1. MemorialARRAS MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Mary Walton, of Crest House, Brigham, Cockermouth, Cumberland. WALTON, THOMAS CYRIL Rank:Private Service No:52962 Date of Death:21/03/1918 Age:19 Regiment/Service:Manchester Regiment 2nd/5th Bn. Grave ReferenceIII. A. 13. CemeteryJEANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Mary Walton, of Crest House, Brigham, Cockermouth. Information corrected it is the boys uncle and grandparents who are remembered on the headstone. SORRY
Hello Michael, A good post... My wife had two great uncles killed in action within 17 Days of each other in May 1917, the news of the second death causing her great grandmother's hair to turn white overnight - according to family folklore. But losing three sons in 8 months, the last it appears whilst in the UK (and possibly from wounds sustained earlier or perhaps Spanish flu)... You can only feel very sorry for the parents! Best, Steve.
Regards JS Walton of 2 GG, I have looked in Ponsonby's history of the Gren Gds but nothing specfic for 2nd Bn on that day. Unlike the 4th Bn who were being wiped out elsewhere. Soldiers Died In Great War says this about him. Walton , Joseph Stanley born Brigham , Cumberland enlisted Egremont 27644 Gdsn k in a F & F 13/4/1918 Panel of Arras Memorial with his name bottom right corner Note:This is a very old pic from sometime in 1980s My Great Uncle is listed as DV Croker It was amended to DB Croker on 28.3.86 I first went there in 1989, good to see it corrected after all those years. A Colour-Sergeant of the Grenadiers pointed it out to CWGC & got it changed I forget his name at the moment we did correspond for awhile regards GG in WW1.
Regards JS Walton of 2 GG, I have looked in Ponsonby's history of the Gren Gds but nothing specfic for 2nd Bn on that day. Unlike the 4th Bn who were being wiped out elsewhere. Soldiers Died In Great War says this about him. Walton , Joseph Stanley born Brigham , Cumberland enlisted Egremont 27644 Gdsn k in a F & F 13/4/1918 Panel of Arras Memorial with his name bottom right corner This is a very old pic from mid-80s. My Great Uncle is listed as DV Croker It was changed to DB Croker about 1985-86. Hello Owen, I tried to find out where the 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards were earlier, only managing the general description 'Arras'. The 4th (Guards) Brigade, of 31st Division - 4th Bn Grenadier Guards, 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards and 2nd Bn Irish Guards, were in the line intermingled with the 149th Infantry Brigade, 50th Division - 4th, 5th & 6th Bns Northumberland Fusiliers, on the 12 April 1918. My great grandad, a 4th Bn Northumberland Fusilier, was KIA on the 12 April 1918 at the Battle of the Lys. Was your great uncle with the 4th Bn Grenadier Guards? Did he survive that battle? Best, Steve.
Was your great uncle with the 4th Bn Grenadier Guards? Did he survive that battle? Yes he was & no he was already dead . 25th March 1918. anyway we digress from the Waltons.
Appology Steve it is their grandparents and uncle who died and remembered with the boys on the headstone. Regards Michael.
anyway we digress from the Waltons. Yep, I thought that when I was in the process of posting and considered a PM. I also thought that losing three sons was a bit 'Saving Private Ryan'-esque and that we could have a British WWI prequel 'The Waltons'; but I think someone already grabbed that title. Cheers, Steve.
Hi Steve thanks for the kind words but if you notice the headstone their mam and dad had already died along with a older brother a very unlucky family. Regards Michael. I hadn't spotted that, Michael. As you say, a very unlucky family! Best, Steve.
Michael (Deacs), I was trying to work out the family relationships of the various Waltons mentioned named on the white family headstone. Thomas Walton (Signalman) died 1905 (aged 62) was the husband of Sarah Walton died 1907 (aged 65) William Walton, accidentally killed in Ayrshire in 1908 (aged 41) was the son of Thomas and Sarah. The next two mentioned are a Thomas Walton and his wife Mary Walton. This Thomas and Mary Walton are the parents of the three soldiers who died in WW1. As Sarah Walton died two years after her husband, I feel it unlikely the 'first' mentioned Thomas Walton had remarried and had a second family by Mary. My guess is that Thomas and Sarah Walton are the parents of the 'second' mentioned Thomas, the one married to Mary. If this conjecture turns out to be correct then Thomas and Sarah would be the grandparents of the three soliders who died in WW1. It then follows that the William Walton who died in 1908 would be the uncle of the three soldiers rather than an elder brother. Do you follow the reasoning of this and concur? If you had the inclination you could probably check out the family connections via the Brigham Parish records, censuses or try one of the 'Family History' websites.
Ritsonvaljos your correct about Thomas and Sarah being the grandparents of the 3 boys and Thomas and Mary being their parents.
Have found Amos's pension records and looks like he was sent home from France in 27/10/1916 due to injuries And by 27/03/1918 he was medically discharged due to shrapnel to thigh and i think face if my understanding of his pension records are correct So maybe due to his wounds this is the reason Amos died 4/11/1918
Hello I have just come across this post when searching for information for my father. The three Walton brothers are my great uncles and I remember visiting Brigham churchyard regularly as a little girl to help my father keep the family graves tidy. I will show this post to him and see if he can add any information.
Deacs The record shows that : wound face - 14 Jul 1916 wound left thigh - 21 Oct 1916 - later confirmed as shrapnel TD
