Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Burton a foundry labourer, born 1853 in Allington, Lincolnshire and his wife Sarah Ellen Burton, born 1864 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. John Charles was born on the 17th August 1900 in Wincobank, Yorkshire also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandmother, Eliza Kay, born 1841 in Sheffield, in March 1901 the family home was at 10, Barston Street, Leicester. In April 1911 John was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 119, St. Saviours Road East, Leicester, together with his father, a foundry labourer, his mother and widowed maternal grandmother Eliza Kay, and also his widowed maternal aunt, May Ada Bradwell, born 1869 in Sheffield.
John was enrolled into the Regular Army on the 11th September 1918 in Derby, and was allotted the Regimental service number N220. He gave his place of birth as Wincobank, Yorkshire and age as 18 years 25 days. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as engineer, turner. He gave his present address as 119, St. Saviour’s Road East, Leicester.
His medical examination took place in Leicester on the 17th August 1918 and recorded his apparent age as 18 years, that he was 5-feet 6¼ inches in height, weighed 126 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 32 and 34½ inches, his complexion was described as sallow, he had brown eyes and his hair colour was brown and his physical development was described as fair. He gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father, John Burton, 119, St. Saviour’s Road East, Leicester.
During his period of military service, the following events of note occurred: -
Called up for Service. 17/8/18.
Enrolled. At Leicester. 11/9/18.
Allotted Regimental number TR/6/53758.
Posted. 63rd Y.S. Bn. Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regt. (Sherwood Foresters), Derby. Allotted Regimental number 124006. 12/9/18.
Embarked. 9/3/19.
Admitted. To 17th Field Ambulance, laryngitis. In the Field. 10/5/19.
Transferred. To 36th Casualty Clearing Station. In the Field. 14/5/19.
Admitted. To 47th General Hospital. 19/5/19.
Evacuated. To UK. Per A.T.18, fibrosis of lungs. 7/7/19.
Admitted. To Bermondsey Military Hospital, Ladywell Road, Lewisham, S.E. 13. 9/7/19.
Died. Pulmonary tuberculosis, 7.40pm. 22/7/19.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 17/8/18 – 8/3/19. 204 days.
Expeditionary Force, France. 9/3/19 – 6/7/19. 120 days.
Home Service. 7/7/19 – 22/7/19. 16 days.
Total Service. 340 days.
SERVICE RECORD NOTE: In September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London, approximately two thirds of 6.5 million soldiers’ documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged and unfit for consultation and became known as the “burnt documents.” As a consequence, the content and condition of the surviving records can range from good to extremely poor. The hand written information is, in some instances barely legible, and the number of pages that should comprise a full record, in some cases are either badly damaged or missing entirely, however where possible the available information has been transcribed so that it may at least offer the reader a little descriptive insight into some, if not all of the events and background information surrounding the period of service.