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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

2/Lieut. Stanley George BURTON, R.A.F.


stiletto_33853

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I wonder if someone can help me here with this local man to me. I have managed to get quite a bit of information on him but have hit a brick wall.

Only child of Mr & Mrs Burton of 65 Cotswold Road, Westcliff on Sea. He enlisted in the Civil Service Rifles in November 1915, and after service in France was invalided home in 1917. Upon recovery he entered the RAF as an officer cadet training at Hastings, Hythe, Eastchurch, Stonehenge and Bath receiving his commission in 1918. Returned to France on 19th July 1918.

Here is where it gets fuzzy, on the 30th July he is supposed to have been acting as an observer on a bombing raid on Stuttgart and was engaged on the return journey over German lines with a number of enemy scouts. According to local newspaper reports he sent an enemy machine to the ground in flames. Burtons pilot, although seriously wounded landed the plane in British lines but Burton was found to have been killed.

Does anyone have any information on this tragic action??

Many thanks

Andy

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Andy

2Lt Stanley George Harold Edgar Burton (formerly 15th Battalion, London Regiment) was flying as observer in DH 9 C6210, flown by 2Lt G Martin, of No 99 Sqn RAF, (part of the Independent Force and based at Azelot) on 30 July 1918, when the squadron set off to raid the Mercedes Aero Engine Works at Untertürkheim. The raiders flew in two formations of six DH 9s, and C6120 was in the second group - four machines had to return with engine trouble before reaching the target. Due to adverse weather conditions, the formation leader, Captain V Beecroft, flying in D7233 with 2Lt B S W Taylor, decided to change the objective to the alternate target of the Railway facilities at Lahr. The eight DH 9s dropped three 230lb and ten 112lb bombs at 0720; six of the bombs partly destroyed a brewery.

The DH 9s were attacked by light anti-aircraft fire over the target, and then by enemy fighters on the return flight, and C6210 was badly shot up, including damage to the radiator: 2Lt Martin was wounded in the leg and 2Lt Burton was killed before 2Lt Martin crash landed at Jaeninime. Another No 99 Sqn DH 9, D7223, flown by 2Lt Horace Batty and Lt Phillip Dietz USAS was also lost in the raid, with both airmen being killed.

Accordingt to Keith Rennles' Independent Force, Leutnant Kurt Monnington of Jasta 18 was credited with the victory over C6210, but it isn't reflected in the table of his victories in Above the Lines. Leutnant Josef Flibig of Jasta 80 also claimed a two-seater, which may have been C6210, on 30 July but it wasn't confirmed.

I hope this helps.

Gareth

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Gareth,

You are a star, thank you very much for this information on 2nd Lieut. Burton.

Andy

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Gareth,

Forgot to ask, no mention of this fighter that the newspaper reports of the day claim that 2nd Lieut Burton shot down.

Andy

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Andy

According to Independent Force, Sgt F L Lee, the observer in Sgt H H Wilson's C6196, claimed an Albatros scout (his third victory of the month) and Lt B S W Taylor, the observer in Capt V Beecroft's D7233, also claimed an enemy machine. Naturally, in the confusion of combat, exactly who shot down who is difficult to establish.

However, there's no mention of an aircraft shot down by 2Lt Burton.

Regards

Gareth

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Gareth,

Thank you again with this, it all helps.

Regards

Andy

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