Current Information:

Age-19

13, Fitzwarren Gardens Highgate

Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France

The 12th Sussex Battalion  was part 116 Brigade, 39th Division which had arrived in France in February 1916. At the end of June, 1916, when all attention was fixed further south on the great battle that was about to unfold on the Somme, 12th Sussex were plunged into the thick of the action in the Ferme du Bois sector of the front line near Richebourg. They took over the trenches here on 29th June and that afternoon there was a bombardment of the Boar’s Head, a small salient in the German lines which destroyed much of the wire but also gave the enemy good warning that something was going to happen. And that happened at 3.05am on 30th June when 12th Sussex and other battalions of 116 Brigade attacked the German trenches at the Boar’s Head. At first all went to plan and the enemy front line was captured. Some even made it to the support line but this success was sort lived. German artillery plastered the British front line and the communication trenches leading to it and this prevented much needed ammunition and reinforcements from being sent across no-man’s land. Eventually after four hours the men of 12th Sussex were unable to hold their gains any longer and withdrew back to their own lines having sustained over 400 casualties in this fruitless episode.

Private Blurton's brother, Lance Sergeant Tom Pain Burton, was killed in the same attack.