No.15583, Private, Harry George NORTON
Aged 33
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Harry George Norton was born in Burwell in 1883 (Newmarket Q3-1883 3B:516), son of William and Lizzie NORTON (née WINNELL ? ).
1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Parsonage Lane, Burwell with his father William NORTON [52] Newsagent born Burwell; his mother Lizzie [43] born Dry Drayton and sister Emily [10] born Burwell. 1901 census...Aged 17, a grocer's assistant, he was at Parsonage Lane, Burwell with his parents. On 24th April 1909, in Burwell, he married Ethel Annie PARR. 1911 census...Aged 27, a boat hand, he was at Elm Cottages, Burwell with his wife Ethel Annie [23] born Burwell. |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
The worst day in British military history, 60,000 casualties, around 20,000 of them dead. The 11th Suffolks were part of 34th Division, as yet untried in battle, in the front of the attack opposite La Boiselle. At 7.28 a mine containing 60,000 lbs of ammonal was blown, creating a crater (Lochnagar crater) 55 feet deep and 220 feet across. 2 minutes later the attack began, the 11 Suffolks following the 10th Lincolns advancing on a line through the centre of Bailiff Wood. The Germans however were in great strength in La Boiselle and as the Suffolks advanced they immediately came under heavy machine gun fire. The lines of men were quickly reduced to groups of 3 and four and by 8 am the battle was decided. Hundreds lay wounded, a pitiful few had managed to reach the German wire. Occasionally a man rose and tried to get forward, only to fall again. Even those few who did reach the parapet were quickly despatched by flame throwers. Of all the battalions in the battle of Albert, the 11th Suffolks fared worst, with very nearly 700 casualties (a battalion is nominally just over 1,000 men). The 11th Suffolk suffered 188 killed on the 1st July, 147 of them have no known grave. Four Burwell men, all in the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment died on the infamous 1st day of the Somme, Ivan Cook, Joseph Mason, Harry Norton and Arthur Warren.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
