BORN PLYMOUTH, ON 03/02/1891. REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 17/07/1919, AS ENLISTED IN HULL AND KILLED.
ELDEST SON OF FREDERICK AND MARY ANN BARTON, OF 34, WAKE STREET, PLYMOUTH. HIS FATHER WAS A RETIRED ROYAL NAVAL PENSIONER. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS. WORKED AS A PANTER AND DECORATOR. HE MARRIED GLADYS GOULD (BORN 12/11/1899), AT DEVON, IN JULY 1918.
HE ENLISTED ON 21/09/1914, AGED 23. SERVED AS SAPPER 1251, DEVON FOTRESS ENGINEERS. TRANSFERRED AS SAPPER, 514487, TO THE 568th ARMY TROOPS COMPANY, ROYAL ENGINEERS. POSTED TO GIBRALTA ON 24/03/1915 TO 11/11/1916. RETURNED TO ENGLAND AND WAS POSTED TO FRANCE, ON 17/03/1917. SERVED FOR 4 YEARS AND 67 DAYS. DIED ON 27/11/1918, OF “SELF INFLICTED WOUNDS, DURING A PERIOD OF TEMPORARY INSANITY”. HE WAS CLEANING HIS RIFLE IN HIS BILLET AND SHOT HIMSELF IN THE FOREHEAD. THE COURT OF INQUIRY DESCRIBED HIM AS A STEADY, TIDY, SOLDIER, CHEERFUL, WILLING, A GOOD FOOTBALLER AND CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER. HIS DEATH MAY HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTAL RATHER THAN SUICIDE.
HE IS BURIED AT PRESEAU COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, NORD, FRANCE.
HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, GLADYS GRACE BARTON, AT 23 DURHAM ROAD, PEVERELL, PLYMOUTH (WAR PENSION RECORDS). SHE RECEIVED HIS WAR MEDALS ON 03/05/1923. SHE SAID SHE KNEW NOTHING OF HIS RELATIVES.
