John's Story.
Killed While Sleeping.
Stalybridge Soldiers Death From Stray Shell.
Fine tributes to a brave soldier are paid in letters which have been received by Mr. Anthony Norton and his daughter, Miss Norton of No.5 Set Street, Stalybridge, in respect of Private John Norton, Kings Liverpool Regiment, who has been killed in France. The letters which are addressed to Miss Norton, who carried on all correspondence with her brother are from Captain E. Lorry, Second Lieutenant George H.C. Truscott and Rev. A. L. Preston, chaplain.
The letter from the second Lieutenant was received on Friday, regretting to inform her that her brother had been killed and adding: “his death took place on the morning of the 28th of April (Saturday), and was caused through a shell dropping into a part of the trench which he and five others were holding. Of these one, his second in command was killed, one badly wounded, on three had little less than a miraculous escape. Should it afford you any consolation whatever, I should like to state that he was asleep when it happened, and death must have been instantaneous. He was in my platoon, and I feel this sad occurrence keenly, not only from the point of view of having been his platoon commander but also on the account of the fact that I had been with him during the night previous, while some rather heavy shelling was going on. Seeing that he came safely through this it appeared doubly hard that what was a comparatively stray shell should have caused his death. I should like to assure you of my deep sympathy in this your hour of grief and sorrow. Your brother was a fine soldier, and his comrades were one and all deeply grieved at his untimely death.”
The captain’s letter stated – “your brother was always cheerful, and a very popular soldier with the men of his section. He was a good soldier and will be greatly missed by us all.”
Private Norton was only 21 years of age last January. He was a pleasant, homely lad, dividing his time between home and his great hobby, gardening. He was identified with the Booth Street U.M. Church and school, and until he enlisted on July 26 last year he was employed as a Carter at Messrs. Lewis Buckley and Sons, millwrights, etc, of Stalybridge. He went to France during the last September holidays. Private Norton’s mother died during the first week of the war.
Stalybridge Reporter, Saturday, May 12, 1917.