Name
Eric Hudson Tatton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/04/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Royal Air Force
84th Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PICQUIGNY BRITISH CEMETERY
B. 21.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
There are articles about Eric in the Hull Daily Mail dated 15 February 1915; the Watford Illustrated dated 18 September 1915, and the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 4 May 1918.
Son of the Reverend Dan and Elizabeth (nee PEPPER) TATTON of Edgware.
His parents married 1876 at the Newcastle-under-Lyme Register Office, Staffs. Dan died 26 May 1924 in Edgware aged 73; Elizabeth died 1926 in the Hendon, Middx, district aged 75.
Eric was born 28 March 1895 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, and attended Watford Grammar School from September 1904 to December 1910.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
On the 1901 Census, aged 6 he lived in Hemel Hempstead, with his parents and seven siblings. On the 1911 Census, a student aged 16, he lived in Bushey, Herts, with his parents and five siblings.
Wartime Service
He attested 15 September 1914 at Westminster for Short Service (3 years’ with the Colours), as Private 2143 18th (Service) Battalion (1st Public Schools) Royal Fusiliers: a clerk aged 19, 5’8″ tall, Congregational; next-of-kin his father of Edgware, Middx.
He served at Home 15 September 1914 to 11 January 1915. He was discharged on being granted a commission as temporary Second Lieutenant, 12th Battalion (3rd Hull) East Yorkshire Regiment 11 January 1915, gazetted 13 February 1915. He saw active service in Egypt and then in France, taking part in the offensive of 1 July 1916.
He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps 1917, and was appointed Flying Officer; he was appointed temporary Captain 1 April 1918. He was Mentioned in Despatches; entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 29 December 1915; and was killed in action when his plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“TATTON, ERIC HUDSON. School period: September, 1904: to December, 1910. Captain and Flight Commander, R.A.F. Enlisted August, 1914; commission in East Yorkshire Regiment, January, 1915. Egypt and France. Transferred to R.A.F., 1917; killed in action, 20th April, 1918.”
His brother Norman died 9 April 1917.
