Name
Bernard Barton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/08/1918
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
Worcestershire Regiment
1st Bn., attached 2nd/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TANNAY BRITISH CEMETERY, THIENNES
Plot 5. Row C. Grave 4
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, St Matthews Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Bernard Barton was born at Fridaythorpe Vicarage, Malton, Yorkshire, in 1879, the third child of the Reverend Thomas Haycraft Barton by his second wife, Jane Longden Davy. He had two older brothers, Frederick Howard and Harold, and a younger sister, Dorothea. The family also included five half-siblings Elizabeth Lanfear, Catherine Mary, Florence Isabella, Eugenia and Charles Albert from Thomas’ first marriage.
His father died in 1894 when Bernard was 14, by which time he was a pupil at St Peter’s School York. His mother Jane also moved to 11 Avenue Terrace, Clifton, York. By 1901, Bernard was serving overseas in the South African War.
In 1904, he emigrated to Canada, settling in Grimsby, Lincoln District on Lake Ontario, where he established a small fruit farm. His mother and a number of family members also followed him to Canada.
He later moved back to England where he married Elena Elizabeth Atkins (known as Nell) at Bushey, Hertfordshire in 1913. They subsequently moved to Badsey, near Evesham in Gloucestershire, taking a tenancy at the 90-acre Bowers Hill Farm.
Nell later gave birth to their son Bernard Philip George Barton (known as Philip) in December 1915 and baptised him at Wickhamford in January 1916. A second son Stephen B Barton was born just three weeks after the death of his father.
Wartime Service
On the outbreak of war, Bernard enlisted in August 1914 with the local company of Territorials and later that year was commissioned in the Worcestershire Regiment. His advancement was rapid, receiving a commission in December 1914, he was promoted Captain in September 1915, Major in February 1917 and Lieutenant Colonel in June 1918. He first went on active service in France in September 1915 before being redeployed to Salonika. Whilst there, he was severely wounded in March 1917 and was mentioned in dispatches, published on 23rd July 1917. During this period his wife had to give up the farm at Badsey and returned to Bushey.
Bernard was returned to England to convalesce and on the trip home the ship was attacked by submarines, but managed to make port. On returning to active service Bernard was attached to the 2nd/8th Battalion and went with them to France in April 1918. He was killed in action on 11th August 1918, aged 39.
Nell was living at 21 Nightingale Road in Bushey at the time. She later moved to Green Point Cottage, Avenue Rise, Bushey and never remarried.
In addition to memorials in the UK, Bernard Barton was also remembered in Canada, with a report in the Grimsby Independent Newspaper on 11th September, saying his death was due to a bomb burst. He is also Commemorated in The King’s Book.
Additional Information
Information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk; for further information see also the 'The Badsey Society' - Please visit www.badseysociety.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, The Badsey Society - www.badseysociety.uk
