Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Arthur Burton, a shepherd, born in the 2nd quarter of 1865 in Chorlton, Manchester, Lancashire and his wife, Esther Burton (nee Thomas, married on the 25th December 1889 in St. Paul’s Church, Fazeley, Staffordshire), born on the 7th December 1866 in Fazeley, Staffordshire and baptised on the 20th April 1867 in St. Paul’s Church, Fazeley. Fred was born in the 3rd quarter of 1892 in Fazeley, his siblings were, Elsie May, born on the 23rd May 1890 and baptised on the 15th June 1890 in St. Paul’s Church, Fazeley and Rose, born on the 24th August 1891 and baptised on the 11th October 1891 in St. Paul’s Church, Fazeley, the latter two siblings were both born in Fazeley, Harold, born in the 3rd quarter of 1894, Ada, born in the 4th quarter of 1896, Clara, born in the 4th quarter of 1897, Violet Nelly, born in the 2nd quarter of 1899 and Daisy, born in the 3rd quarter of 1900, the latter five siblings were all born in Chadshunt, Warwickshire, in March 1901 the family home was at Farm House, Chadshunt, Southam, Warwickshire. In April 1911 Fred was employed as a farm wagoner and was residing in the family home at Shenton, Leicestershire, together with his father, a farm cow man, his mother and siblings, Clara, a domestic servant, Violet, a schoolgirl, Daisy, a schoolgirl, Sidney, a schoolboy, born in the 2nd quarter of 1902 and Lily, born 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Chadshunt and Horace Edward, born on the 16th April 1909 in Shenton and baptised on the 3rd September 1916 in the Parish Church, Shenton. Fred’s younger brother Harold, fell in action on the 25th September, 1916.
Fred’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 25095, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1st Battalion. And it was to join this Battalion, that he first entered the theatre of war in France on a date unknown, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it must be assumed that it was at some time after the 31st December 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded on Wednesday 3rd January, 1917, as having died of wounds received in action while serving as a Private with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He was buried in Vermelles British Cemetery in France. Fred was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.