Name
David George Newton
24 February 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/14274
Royal Sussex Regiment
13th Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUFFS ROAD CEMETERY
Sp. Mem. 2.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor
Pre War
David George Newton was born on 24 February 1886 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Henry and Emily Newton and baptised on 6 May at St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead the same year. He was the sixth child of eleven children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 13 Moor Cottages, Hemel Hempstead, when his father was working as a Hawker. He attended Boxmoor school from 1891 and left at Christmas 1898 to join his father in the occupation of 'Hawking' (the selling of goods door to door or on the street). The family remained at the same address in 1901 and 1911.
In the summer of 1907 he married Jane Saunders in Hemel Hempstead. She had been born in Eaton Bray but was working in Hemel Hempstead. Their son Dennis David was born on 12 March 1908 at Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead. They then lived at 15 Moor Cottages, next door but one to his parents and in 1911 he was working as a Carter for R R Bradshaw, a coal, wood and coke merchant and general carrier. Mr Bradshaw was a sales agent for the Anglo-American Oil Company (Esso) and David had been promoted to local branch manager at the time of his enlistment.
Sadly his wife died on 14 October 1911 and is buried at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead. His mother became guardian of his son Dennis and his parents later lived at 9 Grosvenor Terrace, Pullen Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, which was given as David's address on the National Roll of the Great War.
Wartime Service
David enlisted in August at Watford and joined the Royal Sussex Regiment . He was sent to Aldershot for basic training and posted to the 13th Battalion before going to France in February 1917.
By July 1917 the Battalion were in position close to Pilckem Ridge, north of Ypres in preparation for an attack. When the attack began, the Battalion achieved their objectives and were holding captured ground, but during the night of 31 July and early morning of 1 August the Germans shelled the captured positions heavily and many casualties were incurred.
David was one of 43 men from the Royal Sussex Regiment who were killed in action on 31 July 1917 and who are buried in the Buffs Road Cemetery, Belgium. He was 31 years old.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £1 16s 9d. She also received a pension of 7 shillings a week as guardian of his son Dennis.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com., www.hemelatwar.org.
