Name
Frank Amos Darton*1
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1916
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
175320
Canadian Infantry
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIMY MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Not on the Kimpton memorials
Pre War
Frank was born in Kimpton on the 17th July 1884 – this date is taken from his enlistment papers, however there is a baby of that name registered in Hitchin and year earlier. he was the son of the late Amos and Mary Ann Darton (née Taylor). They married in St Ippollitts in 1881.
In 1891 the family were living at Waterdell, St Ippollitts, Hitchin. Present were his mother Mary (39), a widow and working as a Servant and charwoman. Her husband Amos had died in 1885. Their children were: William (9), Frank Amos (7) and Daisy (5).
The family has not yet been found in the in 1901 or 1911 census. Although Daisy appears to be living with Aunt, Kate Taylor at 4 Hitchin Hill Path, Hitchin, in both. It is possible that Mary had re-married, but there are also some death records that seem to fit.
Frank enlisted for 12 years in the Kings Royal Rifle Corp in 1901 when he was 18. This document suggests that he was born in St Ippollitts, not Kimpton.
In 1911 William was serving with the 5th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps and is included in their census return, here his birthplace was listed as Hitchin.
He emigrated to Canada on 20 February 1913, travelling third class, from Liverpool on the White Star ship Dominion. His occupation given as gardener.
His First World War enlistment papers, dated 5 October 1915, record him as unmarried. Aged 31 years and 2 months, he was 5’ 8 ½” tall, with a red complexion, blue eyes and red hair. He had a tattoo of the crucifixion on his left arm, a flower and King Edwards’s head on his right hand. They are stamped with 86th Machine Gun Battalion and his next of kin was given as his sister Mrs Garner of Hitchwood Terrace, Preston, near Hitchin – presumably Daisy.
Wartime Service
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record F.A. Darton and he held the Regimental number 175320 in the 3rd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment), having enlisted in Niagara, Ottawa, Canada. This unit came from Toronto and at the time of his death was part of the 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Division of the Reserve Army.
On the 8th October 1916 the 3rd Battalion was at the extreme left of the attack on the Le Transloy ridges. The Canadians were positioned near Destremont Farm approximately half a mile east of Martinpuich, south-south-west of Bapaume in the Somme Sector. The area was a mass of grey slime and water pools from the incessant rain.
He was reported as missing and then killed in action has no known grave and is remembered on the Vimy Memorial to the Missing in the Pas de Calais in France. The explanation for this appears in the Candian documents: “Previously reported missing, now killed in action”.” Information is available that he was blown to pieces by an enemy shell.”
Additional Information
*1 The Lawson Thompson Scrapbooks state that he was in the Cambridgeshire Regiment, but his name does not appear in the ‘Soldiers died’ database.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
