Name
Cyril Ambrose Walton
16 July 1877
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/05/1916
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Chaplain
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Chester"
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 15
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Ind Plaque St Katherine's Church Memorial, Ickleford, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Clapham Common, HMS Chester Memorial, South Transept, Chester Cathedral
Pre War
Cyril Ambrose Walton was born in 16 July 1877 at Ickleford, Herts, the son of Reverend Thomas Isaac and Barbara Walton of Ickleford Rectory, Herts, and baptised on 12 August 1877.
He was educated at Lancing College, (boarding school in Sussex) where he was in School House from January 1891 to July 1895. He studied theology at Keble College, Oxford where he achieved a BA in 1898 and an MA in 1902. He went to Cuddesdon Theological College in 1899 and became a Deacon in 1901, becoming a priest in 1902 and curate at St Jude, Peckham 1900 – 1905, then Clapham from 1905.
On the 1911 Census he was living at 28 Lydon Road, Clapham, Wandsworth, London SW, with his occupation given as English Priest. Agnes Kitchingham was his housekeeper and lived with him in the 8-bedroom house.
He married Edith May Sercombe on 11 November 1914 at St Peter's Church, Clapham and they lived at The School House, Old Town, Clapham.
Wartime Service
Cyril volunteered as a Naval Chaplain after Easter 1915 and was posted to HMS Chester (a light cruiser) in May 1916. HMS Chester joined the battle fleet at Scapa Flow on 15 May.
He was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland on the morning of 31 May 1916. HMS Chester was part of the 3rd Squadron and when gunfire was heard HMS Chester (under Captain Lawson) reported to HMS Invincible and broke away to the south west to investigate at 5.27 am. An enemy ship was seen ahead in the mist and HMS Chester soon came under heavy fire from German vessesls Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Pillau and Elbing. Within five minutes she was hit by seventeen 150MM shells which disabled three of her guns, killing 29 of her crew and wounding another 49. Cyril was said to have been hit by a shell and killed almost instantly. He was buried at sea at 4 am the following morning with about 30 or 40 others.
Additional Information
Probate was granted on 28 February 1918 to Edith May Walton with effects of £1185 0s 8d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, Lancing College War Memorial website Lancing College Archive (photograph)
