Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Robert Hutton, a clerk and book keeper, born 1859 in Aberford, Yorkshire and his wife Emily Hutton (nee Miller, married in the 3rd quarter of 1880 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district), born 1860 in Long Clawson, Leicestershire. Robert Cyril was born in the 1st quarter of 1889 in Melton Mowbray, his siblings were, Carrie, a schoolgirl, born 1881 and Emily May, born 1888, the latter two siblings were both born in Melton Mowbray, in April 1891 the family home was at Southern Lane, Melton Mowbray. In March 1901 Robert was residing in the family home at 4, Church Yard, Melton Mowbray, together with his father, a pie maker’s clerk, his mother and siblings, Emily and Lionel Hugh Douglas, born 1898 in Melton Mowbray, also residing in the family home was Robert’s widowed paternal Grandmother, Elizabeth Hutton, born 1822 in Aberford. In April 1911 Robert was employed as a railway clerk and was residing in the family home at 4, Church Yard, Melton Mowbray, together with his father, a pork pie works clerk and manager, his mother and siblings Emily and Lionel, a schoolboy.
Robert attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War.) on the 25th May 1915 in Melton Mowbray. He gave his current home address as 4, Church Yard, Melton Mowbray his age as 26 years and 128 days and his trade or calling as -?-. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father Robert Hutton of 4, Church Yard, Melton Mowbray as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 32½ and 34½ inches. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Winchester as a Private, service number R/13215 on the 27/5/15. Posted to the 6th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 30/5/15. Posted to the 9th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 30/9/15. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 30/9/15. Joined the 9th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps in the field on the 3/10/15. Wounded in action, in the field on the 24/8/16. Admitted to the 43rd Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound to the right thigh on the 25/8/16. Returned to duty on the 25/8/16. Rejoined his unit, in the field on the 27/8/16. Missing, in the field on the 15/9/16. Wounded in action, in the field on the 15/9/16. Admitted to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder on the 15/9/16. Transferred to the 26th General Hospital, Etaples on the 16/9/16. Invalided to England on the 17/9/16. Granted furlough on the 27/10/16 to the 6/11/16. Posted to the 5th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, Home Service on the 6/11/16. Posted to the 1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 19/12/16. Embarked from Southampton to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 19/12/16. Disembarked at Le Havre on the 20/12/16. Transferred to 1st Infantry Brigade Depot on the 20/12/16. Joined the 11th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, in the field on the 24/12/16. Wounded in action, in the field on the 7/6/17. Admitted to the 62nd Field Ambulance suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck on the 7/6/17. Rejoined the Battalion, in the field on the 13/6/17. Reported missing in action on the 20/9/17. Regarded for official purposes as having died on or since the date reported missing on the 28/7/18. Robert was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Robert’s father Robert Hutton on the 25th July 1919, and was witnessed and signed by R. W. Brownlow, J. P., 38, Burton Road, Melton Mowbray on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier Robert Hutton of 4, Church Terrace, Melton Mowbray. Mother of soldier Emily Hutton of 4, Church Terrace, Melton Mowbray. Full blood brother of soldier, Douglas Hutton, age 21, now in France. Full blood sister of soldier, Emily May Hutton, age 30 of 4, Church Terrace, Melton Mowbray. Robert’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 19-20 Sep-17 – On the night of 19th/20th September at 3.00am the Battalion formed up for the attack on the tape line (map reference V.23.a.9.3. – V.23.d.30.70. BROEMBEEK) in the following order:-
Front wave, “D” Company South of the LANGEMARCK – COEDTERVESTEN road and one platoon of “B” Company on the left North of the road.
Second wave, one platoon of “A” Company on each side of the road.
Third wave, 1½ platoons of “C” Company South of the road and half a platoon of “C” Company and one platoon of “B” Company North of the road.
The first and third waves formed up in two lines and the second wave in one line owing to shortness of numbers. The assembly was carried out without a hitch and there were no casualties. At 5.40am the barrage opened, and the front line advanced to within 50 yards of the first objective, and laid down until the barrage lifted, when they advanced again on EAGLE TRENCH, coming under heavy Machine Gun fire, where Captain BOGLE was killed. On the right the trench was found to be strongly held, by at least 6 machine guns, and a large number of Germans. The advance was severely bombed under cover of machine and sniping fire thus holding up the line on the right, within 10 yards of the trench. Our losses were heavy. 2nd Lieutenant E. CHARLESTON then organised two attacks on the trench, but without success. 2nd Lieutenant CHARLESTON was killed in the second attack. The remnants of the Company then got into shell holes and hung on till nightfall, when they withdrew to the 11th RIFLE BRIGADE.
On the left, the first wave reached its objective, without any opposition and occupied EAGLE TRENCH, which they consolidated. They then tried to work up to the Pill Box on the right, two men, Riflemen J. WALLS and G. BEASLEY got to the door of the Pill Box, but could not force an entrance and had to withdraw. The position was consolidated with its right 20 yards North of the road, along EAGLE TRENCH and held with 18 men. Two runners from “B” Company’s platoon were sent back with information to Battalion Headquarters, arriving there about 8.00pm.
Second wave. The right half of the right platoon, were held up in front of the strong-point and came under heavy fire, 2nd Lieutenant J. W. POOL (Commanding the Company) being shot. The left half of the right platoon worked round to the left of the strong-point and crossed EAGLE TRENCH advancing to within 50 yards of the red dotted line astride the road, taking up positions in shell holes, and opening fire on a German trench about 200 yards to the point. The left platoon advanced through EAGLE TRENCH and took up a position in shell holes about 80 yards from CHINESE HOUSE being stopped by Machine Gun fire from there. “A” Company to the number of 20 remained in these shell holes and were collected by 2nd Lieutenant W. SLADE at dusk, and as both flanks were in the air he withdrew to EAGLE TRENCH joining the platoon of “B” Company. The mixed party of “A” and “B” Companies were relieved in EAGLE TRENCH just before dawn by the 11th RIFLE BRIGADE.
Third wave. The right platoon of “C” Company advanced to EAGLE TRENCH. Joined the remnants of the first two waves, but could not reach the trench, they therefore took up positions in shell holes and remained there until dark, the platoon being reduced to 9 men. At dusk, unable to obtain touch on its flanks, the platoon withdrew and joined the RIFLE BRIGADE just behind our original support trench. The left platoon of “C” Company advanced through EAGLE TRENCH coming under heavy fire from their right front and a few men dug in, in shell holes in rear of “A” Company, withdrawing with “B” Company at dusk. Captain CLIFFORD was killed at 8.00am and from this time onwards an N.C.O. took charge of the party. At dusk a patrol was sent out and a party of the 10/60th located about 150 yards to the rear near the road. Finding himself isolated, the N.C.O. in question withdrew his party – which then consisted of four men, to EAGLE TRENCH, where they rejoined the rest of “B” Company. At 11.00pm an order was received from Brigade to withdraw the Battalion to the West of STEENBEEK; this was carried out and by dawn most of the remnants of the Battalion (about 90) were assembled on the West side of the STEENBEEK, with Brigade Headquarters at NORMAN JUNCTION.
Our losses were:-
Killed, Captain CLIFFORD, Captain BOGLE, M.C., 2nd Lieutenant J. W. POOL, 2nd Lieutenant L. G. EDWARDS, 2nd Lieutenant R. G. HOBBS, 2nd Lieutenant E. CHARLESTON.
Wounded, 2nd Lieutenant E. P. RIDER, 2nd Lieutenant W. J. CAMPLIN, 2nd Lieutenant A. J. SUTTERS (at duty).
Other Ranks, killed 36, missing 43, wounded 127.
On Friday September 22nd 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – PTE. HUTTON WOUNDED. Pte. Cyril Hutton, K.R.R., (son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Hutton, Church-terrace, Melton Mowbray) was admitted to a hospital in Sheffield on Monday suffering from wounds in the shoulder. This is the third time he has been wounded, the first occasion being in April, and the second in August.
On Friday July 13th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS” – During the past week the following local casualties have been officially reported:- Saturday’s list included:- WOUNDED. KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS. Hutton, 13215 C. (Melton Mowbray).
On Friday October 26th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR” – MELTON SOLDIER MISSING. Not having heard from his elder son, Rifleman Cyril Hutton, King’s Royal Rifles, for about five weeks, Mr R. Hutton, 4, Churchyard, Melton Mowbray, communicated with his Commanding Officer, and on Friday he received a reply stating that he went into action on the 20th September, and had not been heard of since. No information was to be obtained as to whether he was killed or taken prisoner, but he promised to do his utmost to ascertain some news of him. Rifleman Hutton had previously been four times wounded.
On Friday July 26th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – PTE. C. HUTTON PRESUMED DEAD. Mr. R. Hutton, Church-yard, Melton Mowbray has this week received the following communication from the King’s Royal Rifle Corps Record Office, Winchester: “July 20th, 1918. Sir, - It is my painful duty to inform you that no further news having been received relative to No. R.13215 Rifleman Cyril Hutton, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who has been missing since September 20th, 1917, the Army Council have been regretfully constrained to conclude that he is dead, and that his death took place on the 20th September, 1917, or since.” Prior to joining up on May 19th, 1915, Rifleman Hutton was employed at the Midland Station. He had been wounded four times.