Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Burton a coal miner, born 1861 in Ibstock, Leicestershire and his wife Stella Burton (nee Hudson, married on the 27th March 1886 in the Registry Office, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire), born 1867 in Smisby, Derbyshire. Alfred was born in the 1st quarter of 1896 in Ibstock, his siblings were, Ada Elizabeth, born in the 3rd quarter of 1889, George Ambrose William, born on the 9th June 1891, James, born in the 4th quarter of 1893, Sarah, born in the 1st quarter of 1899 and John, born on the 20th February 1901, all his siblings were born in Ibstock, in March 1901 the family home was at Deacons Lane, Ibstock. In April 1911 Alfred was employed as a colliery pony driver and was residing in the family home at 80, Ibstock Road, Ellistown, Leicestershire, together with his father, a coal miner, his mother and siblings, Ada, George, a coal miner, James, a coal miner, Sarah, John, a schoolboy, Arthur, a schoolboy, born on the 5th May 1902, Alice, a schoolgirl, born in the 2nd quarter of 1904 and Lucy Ann, born on the 21st November 1905, the latter two siblings were both born in Ellistown, Edith, born on the 7th March 1907 in Ibstock,
Alfred’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial Force) in Coalville, Leicestershire, being allotted the service number 3677, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1/5th Battalion. It was to join this Battalion that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 26th June 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service, except that under the Army Council Instruction of 1917 that promulgated a new numbering system for all Territorial Force units, he was allotted the service number 241335. He was officially recorded as being killed in action on Friday, 17th August, 1917 while serving with the 1/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, his body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France. Alfred was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 17 Aug-17 - At about 12.15am the first wounded men came down the tunnel to the dressing station, by 2.00am the majority of men were in except a few stretcher cases. See report on raid Appendix B. The Battalion arrived back in NOYELLES at about 3.30am. During the morning we had visits from Brigadier and General Officer Commanding Division, who said he would address the Battalion the next morning. The afternoon was spent in cleaning up and exchanging and patching up the torn clothing.
APPENDIX ‘B’:- Report on the raid carried out by the 1/5th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on the 16th/17th August 1917. The raiding party left NOYELLES and marched up to the line on morning of the 14th August. On the march up through VERMELLES 11 men of “B” Company were killed and 14 wounded by one shell. Ample accommodation was found for the whole party in LONE TRENCH and 10th AVENUE. Owing to the unsatisfactory state of the enemy front line wire Z day was postponed 24 hours. On 16th wire cutting was continued and with better success. ASSEMBLY: Companies marched to their assembly trenches and formed up 20 minutes before ZERO without sustaining any casualties. ADVANCE: No difficulty whatever was found in passing over our trenches and through gaps in our wire (all gaps and lines having been marked with tape after dark on the 16th). The enemy front line wire was found very much damaged (except on the extreme left and extreme right) and little difficulty was found in passing through it, but wire was found in parts of enemy front line trench. Wire in front of HILDA was well cut and presented no obstacle, but midway between HILDA and HULLOCH TRENCHES party was held up by a fairly strong belt of wire. Eventually this was negotiated and enemy third line was reached. All bombing blocks were established and party for destruction of GOOSE under 2nd Lieutenant J. S. PLUMMER set out.
ENEMY: Two were met in front line and killed, three parties one of four and two of six were met in HILDA TRENCH, some were killed some escaped running over ground to HULLOCH TRENCH. No enemy were met in HULLOCH TRENCH but many were firing from ruins behind this trench and a considerable amount of machine gun fire came from the same area. Several enemy ran down into dug outs in HILDA TRENCH. These dug outs were blown up by our destruction parties.
WITHDRAWAL: The special flare lights (although similar ones had been tested 9 days previously) did not go off. Enemy counter attacked on our left, coming over the top they were met by Lewis gun fire from one of our bombing blocks and several of the enemy were seen to fall. Enemy also made a strong bombing attack down HICKS ALLEY but was held up by our bombers until withdrawal was completed.
ENEMY TRENCHES: Front line system very badly damaged indeed. Can be passed over almost anywhere, there are several dug outs in this line near saps. HILDA TRENCH deep trench 8 foot in very good order, fire steps, no revetment or duck boards, several dug outs, the majority of which were blown in.
HULLOCH TRENCH. Deep in places but not in good order, no duck boards or revetment. COMMUNICATION TRENCHES. Except HERRING ALLEY all in very fair condition and about 8 foot deep. HERRING ALLEY at lower end was full of new concertina wire for nearly 80 yards.
DUG OUTS. Deep, either 15 or 30 steps, latter are very damp, all entered (7) had been cleared of everything. Enemy was undoubtedly prepared for our raid, wire in trenches, counter attack. The projection of THERMITE at ZERO minus 4 lit up most of the area raided, and seemed to put enemy on alert at once. Enemy barrage opened on our assembly line at ZERO and later seemed to fall on enemy front line.