Photo: Brian Chandler
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 18/7/1916
In loving memory of
Janet Tait
only daughter of
John Thomas Winton,
Merchant, Wooler,
who died 28th April, 1890
aged 22 years.
and of the said
John Thomas Winton
who died 23rd May 1902
aged 72 years.
also of
Christina Tait Beaton
his wife
who died 2nd Feb. 1905
aged 71 years.
2nd Lieut. John Hubert Winton,
grandson of the above
9th Battn. Northd. Fus.
fell in action, on the Somme, France
7th July 1916,
aged 18½ years
"(To be with Christ) which is far better.
Ian Scott has provided the following:
WINTON, Temp 2nd Lt John Hubert, 9th (Service) battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, died on 7th July 1916, aged 18, and is buried in Ovillers Military Cemetery.
The son of John Thomas Winton, grocer, and Maria Winton (née Boyd) of 13 King Street, Ramsgate, Kent, formerly of No.2 Victoria Villa, Queen's Road, Wooler. In 1911 the family lived at The Elms, Manston near Ramsgate. Born on 27th December 1897 at Wooler, John Winton was a former pupil of St Lawrence College, Ramsgate, Kent, but in 1911, aged 13, he was a pupil at Bournemouth School (headmaster Dr Fenwick).
He had enlisted as a Private, had been swiftly promoted to Sergeant and then had been commissioned. He was gazetted temporary second Lieutenant with effect from 7th May 1916.
The 9th Battalion was under the orders of 52nd Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division, and landed in France in July 1915. Reportedly he had taken part in the Battle of Loos in 1915, although the 17th Division was then holding trenchescentred on St Eloi south of Ypres. In September 1915 John Winton was only 17 years 9 months old. The 17th Division remained in the St. Eloi sector until early May 1916 when it was withdrawn for a month of 'rest and training' near St Omer as part of the build up to the opening of the Somme offensive.
On 1st July 1916 the 17th Division was under the orders of XV Corps (Lt-Gen Horne) and on the 2nd July 1916 it captured Fricourt. On 6th July orders were given for an attack on the next day: the 17th Division was to take trenches on the west side of Mametz Wood, while 38th Division on their right attempted to take Mametz Wood, and 23rd Division on their left attacked Contalmaison. John Winton was 'leading his men to the assault when last seen' in the fierce fighting on 7th July 1916. He was just 18 years 7 months old.
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle 18/07/1916 reports:
2nd Lieutenant J. Winton.
News has been received that 2nd Lieutenant J. Winton, son of Mr. and Mrs. of Wooler and Ramsgate, has been wounded and missing. He is barely 19 years of age, and joined the Army when under 17 years old, receiving a commission some time ago, and was attached to the Northumberlands.
He is remembered in Wooler on W68.01
