Private 8920 Frank Horton

Killed in Action on Saturday, 19th December 1914, age 22.
Commemorated on Panel 17 and 18 of Le Touret Memorial, Pas De Calais, France.

1st Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 24th Brigade of 8th Division.

Born: Worcester, Enlisted: Worcester, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 12th December 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.

Commemorated on the St. Augustine's Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/858140/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Frank Horton registered June quarter 1892 in Dudley.

1901 Census
103 Dudley Road (back of Tividale Hall), Tividale, Staffs.
Albert Horton (33, Whitesmith in Steelworks, born Tipton), his wife Eliza (30, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Arthur (13, born Tipton), Lily (11, born Tipton), Frank (9, born Tipton), Agnes (7, born Tipton), Harold (5, born Tipton), and Edward (3, born Tipton).

1911 Census
134 Dudley Road, Tividale, Staffs.
Eliza Horton (40, Widow, born Rowley), and her 5 children: Arthur (23, Edge Tool Polisher, born Dudley), Frank (19, Edge Tool Polisher, born Dudley), Agnes (17, General Servant, born Dudley), Harold (15, Trowel Maker, born Dudley), and Edward (12, School, born Tividale).

Personal Data

Frank Horton attested on 11th August 1914 with the 6th Worcesters for 6 years service in the Special Reserve. He was 22 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 140lbs with a 37½in chest, had grey eyes, brown hair and had tattoos on his left forearm. His religion was given as Church of England, his occupation Edge Tool Polisher, and he had no previous Military service. He was immediately mobilised and 4 months later landed in France, on 12th December 1914.

Action resulting in his death

The 1st Worcesters were attached to 24th Brigade in 8th Division, and had landed in Le Havre on 5th/6th November 1914. They moved to the Neuve Chapelle area, where the line had stabilised after fierce fighting in October. German artillery fire was constant, 40 men of the 1st Worcesters were killed in the remaining 6 weeks of 1914.

The 1st Worcesters came out of the line on 13th December, resting and refitting at Estaires where Frank would have joined them. They stood by on the night of 18th/19th December when other troops of the 8th Division made an attack to harass the enemy, but were not required. On the 19th, the 1st Worcesters moved back into trenches adjacent to the Rue de Carmin, just north west of Neuve Chapelle.

Frank is recorded as being killed in action on the 19th December, the very first day he went into the front line trenches.

He was buried three quarters of a mile west of Neuve Chapelle on the Estaires Road, which must be close to Pont Logy. His grave was subsequently lost, and he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 3rd April 1915
ANOTHER TIVIDALE MAN KILLED.
Information has been received that Pte. Frank Horton, of Dudley Road, Tividale, who belonged to the 3rd Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle. Horton was a single man, 22 years of age, and was employed at the Brades Steel Works, Oldbury. He was one of the first in the district to join Kitchener's Army.

Tipton Herald 23rd December 1916
IN MEMORIAM.
HORTON. In loving memory of our dear brother, Private Frank Horton (Tividale), the Worcestershire Regiment, who was killed on action December 19th 1914. Fondly remembered by Lil, Arthur, Jim and little Una.