Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Mr and Mrs George Manton. Prior to joining he had been employed as an attendant at Berrywood Asylum. He belonged to the Ridlington Parish Church Choir, and was both a member of the village Choral Society and also the local Cricket Club. He embarked for France on the 27th January 1915, and was killed during the Battle of Aubers Ridge. The War Diary for the 9th May 1915 records. Everyone was up and ready at daybreak completing last details and arrangements. We had a large amount of stores to carry such as scaling ladders, bridges, wire cutters, bombs, flags for showing progress etc. The morning was fine and very clear and the Gunner observation officer attached for the day to the Battalion thought it a perfect morning for the artillery. At 5.00am. sharp the bombardment of the enemy lines and fortified posts commenced from our guns behind, 18 pounders, 15 inch and 9.2 inch Howitzers, the noise was terrific. This bombardment continued until 5.30am. during which the guns were playing on the various enemy Batteries and fortified houses in rear of his lines. From 5.30 until 5.40am. every gun was turned on the enemy trenches which were the sandbagged breastworks. The 18 pounder field guns playing in the barbed wire entanglements to cut gaps for our infantry assault. During the ten minutes the men of our two leading Companies “B” under Captain DICKSON and “D” under Captain FARRAR got over the parapet, preceded by the bombers, men carrying ladders etc. These Companies advanced as close as possible to about 100 yards of enemy parapets and there lay down until the bombardment ceased. Again at the same time two Companies in the support trenches “A” and “C” under Captain MYLNE and Captain Sir F. ROBINSON and Battalion HQ moved from the supporting trenches to the fire trenches and thence over the parapet to support “B” and “D”. At 5.40am. precisely the bombardment ceased and the Battalion with the ROYAL FUSILIERS rushed to the assault. Our first Companies got close up to the German barbed wire and Captain DICKSON and about 20 men reached a gap made by our guns on the trenches. These men were all shot down, Captain DICKSON being killed at once and also Captain FARRAR. The enemy had opened a heavy rifle and machine gun fire from the trenches before our men could get near them and were mowed down. It was impossible to take the position and the assault had failed. Our artillery appeared to have done little damage to the enemy as regards either the parapet, wire or their trenches, for even through the bombardment of their trenches rifle shots and machine gun fire was directed on our men as they came over our parapet. By this time the enemy had opened fire with his guns and heavily shelled our parapets, reserve trenches and RUE DU BOIS. The Battalion was now lying in front between the two trenches, unable to advance or retire or even -?- to move without being fired on. Throughout the day the men lay out absolutely exposed to the rifle, machine gun and shell fire from the German lines. A few who were near the parapet managed to retire on the order being given. They were collected behind our lines and support trenches and there remained for the remainder of the day. At 3.00pm. another bombardment and assault was ordered the 1st Brigade undertaking it this time, with no better results, though a few of the BLACK WATCH got into the German trenches but were forced to retire. When darkness came the survivors crawled back to our trenches having laid out in the open for 14½ hours. The wounded, those that could be got to were brought back, the Medical Officer Lt. BOUDILLON doing very valuable work in this way. The Commanding Officer and Adjutant brought out the remainder of the Battalion (150 odd) to LE TOURET where orders were received to billet for the night. The 2nd Division having taken over the trenches and operations from the 1st. Our losses were very heavy, 8 Officers being killed and 9 wounded. And 541 men were killed, wounded or missing. Of the 17 Company Officers that went -?- -?- two returned -?- -?-. Casualties 2nd in Command Major W. O. CAUTLEY D.S.O., “B” Company Captain B. B. DICKSON, 2nd Lt. H. THOMPSON, 2nd Lt. R. DAVISON, “C” Company Lt. C. S. COWLEY, “D” Company Captain J. H. FARRAR, Captain T. G. POWELL killed, 2nd Lt. K. E. MONRO died of wounds. “A” Company Captain E. C. MYLNE, 2nd Lt. N. F. ATTWATER, “B” Company 2nd Lt. R. S. CHAMPION, Lt. T. C. FULTON, “C” Company Captain Sir F. U. L. ROBINSON, 2nd Lt. H. H. FORBES, Lt. NYE, 2nd Lt. NORMAN, 2nd Lt. CLARK wounded.