LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Lance Corporal Edward George Murton
13th Bn Royal Fusiliers
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
L/Cpl
E George Murton
1st Royal Fusiliers [sic]
Étaples
May 7 1915 [sic]
Edward George Murton was fatally wounded on 5 April 1918. He lingered
until 7 May 1918 and died in hospital at Étaples. The memorial is
therefore in error [but see another date below].
The June 1918 issue of the Parish magazine records the wounding of
Edward George [Murton], and the deaths of Trayton Small and Arthur Dovey
on the same day. All were serving in the 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, not
the First.
The details of what happened on 5 April 1918 are given under Trayton
Small. (1)
The regimental records give the following details about Edward George
[Murton]. He was born and enlisted at Guildford.
He had previously served as No.37864 in the Queens, and was currently
No.65726 and a Private, not a Lance Corporal, in the Royal Fusiliers.
Additionally his death from wounds is given as 11 May 1918. (2)
Notes on sources
1. The Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead, issue of
June 1918.
2. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (Royal Fusiliers) - Royal
Fusiliers Museum, HM Tower of London
Further research
Lance
Corporal
MURTON, E G
Service Number 65726
Died 12/05/1918
13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
Buried at ETAPLES
MILITARY CEMETERY
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: LXVII. B. 31.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine June 1918
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
The following have given their lives for the cause :
Pte. Arthur George Dovey*, 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, killed in action in
France April 5th, 1918.
Pte. Trayton Henry Small, 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, killed in action in
France, April 5th, 1918.
Pte. Edward George Murton, 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, died in hospital at
Etaples, May 12th, 1918, of wounds received in action.
We offer our most deep and respectful sympathy to the parents who mourn
the loss of their gallant sons.
[*The September 1918 issue of the
Leatherhead Parish Magazine: We have the great happiness of
recording that Pte. Arthur George Dovey, who was some months ago reported
to have been killed in action, is alive, though a prisoner in German
hands.]
Liam Sumption made the not
unreasonable but unverifiable assumption that Edward Murton was wounded on
the same date as Arthur Dovey and Trayton Small, both also of the 13th
Battalion Royal Fusiliers. For information on the 13th Royal Fusiliers on
that day click Trayton Small.
His life
Edward Murton was born on 16 April 1898, Guildford, Surrey and baptised as
an adult at St Mary and St Nicholas, the Parish Church of Leatherhead,
Surrey on 13 March 1915.
His father was Albert George Murton (1869-1916) from Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk. He was a Carpenter & Joiner. His antecedents are not known.
His mother was Ada Earle, born 1867 in Guildford, Surrey, a daughter of
Robert Earle (1840-1911), a Cabinet Maker from Godalming, Surrey,
and Charlotte Woods (1840-1908)
Their marriage was recorded in Guildford Rural District in 1891.
Edward's siblings were Violet May b 1891, Mabel Annie b1895 d 1909, Kate b
1901, Walter Henry b 1903. Ada Murton, 1 month old, was recorded in the
1891 Census when the Murtons were at 9 Springfield Terrace, Stoke,
Guildford, Surrey but died in infancy (Mabel and Ada would be the two of
the Murton's six children who were no longer alive in the 1911 Census).
Edward lived at:
1901 Census: Highlands Road, Leatherhead
1911 Census: 11 Magazine Place, Church Rd, Leatherhead which was also
his address when baptised in 1915
After WW1
Edward's mother Ada was widowed in 1916. She continued living at 11
Magazine Place until at least 1930
Her marriage to William Edward Alner (1878-1939, died in Ashtead Surrey)
was registered in Surrey Mid Eastern District in December 1934. Ada lived
at 25 Glebe Road, Ashtead.
Ada's death was registered in Surrey Mid Eastern District in December
1939.
Edward Murton is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish
Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial
Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey
in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 15 Nov 20