In Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, Hampshire is the Commonwealth War Grave of P/K 57462 Petty Officer Stoker Ernest Bunton serving on H.M.S. Foxglove with the Royal Navy who died 09/07/1940.
He was the son of Joseph and Maria Bunton and the husband of Sarah Jane Bunton, of Wallsend, Northumberland.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Ernest Bunton was one of 3 children and the only son of Joseph Bunton and Maria Sherwood. His father was born at Chester le Street, County Durham in 1877, his mother March 29th 1878 at Normanton, Yorkshire, she was the daughter of coal miner John Sherwood and Roseanna Miller, both of whom were natives of Staffordshire.
The young couple were married at the parish church Whickham, Gateshead, in 1899. In 1901 Joseph Bunton, listed as married, was living with his widowed mother at Eton Street, Gateshead, historically in Count Durham, employed as a coal miner, the whereabouts of his wife is unknown. His wife gave birth to Ernest, October 15th 1901, at Gateshead.
His father Joseph Bunton enlisted as Private 41320, 33rd Battalion, 148th Company Imperial Yeomanry, for only one year unless the War in South Africa lasted longer. He did not serve overseas and was discharged after 85 days, April 4th 1902.
Joseph Bunton fathered a further two children. Edith was born at Blyth in 1903 and Emily Sherwood Bunton, January 14th 1909 at Dinnington Colliery in the district of Castle Ward, Northumberland, where he was employed as a coal miner. Joseph left his employment at the colliery and journeyed from the port of Liverpool, January 25th 1910, aboard the S.S. Ivernia, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., February 3rd 1910. Joseph stated his final destination was Marion in the state of Illinois, an area of coal fields. Strangely he gave his mother’s name as next of kin, resident at 15, Single Dinnington Row, Dinnington Colliery.
Joseph Bunton’s name does not appear on the 1911 census with that of his family. His wife and children, Ernest 9, Edith 7 and Ethel 2, were living at 1, Nicholson’s Terrace, Forest Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Maria supported her children and a 14 year old niece Elsie Tate working as a seamstress on her own account from home.
By the time WW1 was declared with Germany, Joseph Bunton had returned to England. He enlisted using the alias Joseph Fenton and was assigned as Private 11200 Prince of Wales’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment. Why he chose not to use his true name is unknown. Could it have been he wanted to hide the fact he had been rejected by the Army in 1902?
He served overseas but Private Fenton/Bunton was repatriated to the United Kingdom and posted to Class W Reserve, October 10th 1917. Class W Reserve was for soldiers whose services were deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil rather than military employment. Joseph Bunton died, “at home,” December 29th 1917 and was interred within St. John’s The Evangelist Churchyard, West Lane, Killingworth Village, Northumberland. Awards British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In 1939 Maria Bunton was living in the home of her married daughter Emily Flockton at 40, Beechwood Avenue, Gosforth, in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Ernest, who had joined the Royal Navy, June 22nd 1927 was married at Tynemouth in 1932 to Sarah Jane Briggs. Born at South Shields September 29th 1906 Sarah was the daughter of coal miner/hewer, John Briggs, native of Waterhouses, near Esh Winning and Janet Hutchinson of Usworth, near Sunderland, both historically in County Durham.
Ernest and Sarah Jane’s daughter Janet Bunton was born in the district of Tynemouth in 1934. In 1939 Sarah Jane and Janet were living at 138, Vine Street, Wallsend, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne.
When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany for a second time, September 3rd 1939, Ernest Bunton was stationed at the shore base Victory IV, a Royal Navy training base in Portsmouth but was transferred to HMS Foxglove, September 19th 1939.
HMS Foxglove was built in 1915 by Barclay Curle Shipbuilders, Glasgow and launched March 1915. Commissioned for war service in 1917 she was the last of the ‘Arcacia’ class sloops exclusively used for minesweeping until the end of the hostilities of WW1. With the outbreak of war she was back in action and commission by the Royal Navy in 1940 as a minesweeper and an escort for smaller vessels.
July 9th 1940 HMS Foxglove left Portsmouth headed for mine-sweeping duties off the Isle of White acting as an escort to minesweeping trawlers having already been involved in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.
The German Luftwaffe were very active around the coastal areas, attacking shipping in the hope of luring the RAF into combat to destroy as many aircraft as possible prior to their planned invasion of the United Kingdom.
HMS Foxglove was attacked by no fewer than 8 German aircraft and as four explosions ripped through her hull the ship was totally crippled without any power from the engines and unable to signal for help as her aerials were disabled. The walking wounded were loaded aboard the Avalanche which had arrived from Portsmouth and the Foxglove was eventually taken in tow. When the ship finally docked at Portsmouth more of her company had died en-route.
Amongst the casualties of July 9th 1940 was Petty Officer Stoker P/K 57462 Ernest Bunton who was interred at Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, Gosport, Hampshire, July 12th, grave E. 53. 7. He was 38 years of age.
His widow received all monies due to him and his awards of the R.N. Long Service and Good Conduct Medal sent to her at her home in Wallsend. Sarah Jane commission at her own personal expense an additional inscription to be added to her late husbands military headstone, it reads, “AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER HIM.”
Sarah Jane Bunton nee Briggs died at Northumberland South in 1952, details as regards her daughter Janet Bunton, as yet unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Ernest Bunton is remembered at Wallsend in W7.19 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
