William Langton KIA 14/04/43

[lizmaudsley]

Hello!
i am trying to locate any local war memorial that names, if possible, Corporal William Langton 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers KIA 14/04/43. He is buried in Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia.
He is the son of Private William Langton 1st/8th Lancashire Fusiliers KIA 27/09/1918 buried Ribecourt Road Cemetery, Trescault, France and nephew of Private Charles Langton 2nd Border Regiment DOW 18/06/1915 buried Agecroft Cemetery.
William and Charles are my husbands great uncles.
The family hail from Whit Lane. 
So we are wondering if anyone here knows the name from any WW2 war memorial in Salford or any other bits of info about William junior.
Many thanks

[shred]

Hi Liz,

Thank you for taking the time to post.


I am sorry to say that we have not found William's name on any of the extant memorials in Salford. I will check the local papers for an obituary when I visit the Local History Library next Wednesday.

I note that an article was published in the Salford Reporter about "Charlie Langton" on the 03/07/1915. I'll post a copy of that here on Wednesday.

Could this be their brother Thomas (1918 Absent Voters)? Edwin St was close by Whit Lane.



Edit: Just noticed that William is also named on the above Absent Voters List, registered at 23 Edwin St.

[lizmaudsley]

Thanks so much. It'd be great to see what you find in the papers.
WW1 era there were three brothers - William, Charlie and Thomas. We do have info on these three. They all joined up in the early months of WW1 but Thomas was discharged as unfit. His records say he was deaf although we are not sure if he was always deaf or it was caused during training etc. We also think that he may have re-enlisted but have yet to find proof of this.
Charlie died in hospital in Leeds according to his death certificate of tetanus following a gun shot wound.
William KIA at battle of Havrincourt. We have visited both graves.
The thing is my husbands great gran was these three lads sister but NEVER mentioned that she had two brothers and later a nephew die in war, I suppose it must have been difficult.
Yes they did live on Edwin Street and also Wellington Street for a time.
William Langton junior killed in WW2 is a recent discovery so we are very keen to find out more about him.
We are very grateful for your efforts and look forward to seeing what you may find.

Thanks again.
Liz

[lizmaudsley]

Well I've just looked again at your absent voters list and Thomas did re-enlist, so if nowt else you've shone a light on our puzzle!
Thanks sooooo much

[Ben]

C.W.G.C. link for Charles







Ben

[Ben]

That is the correct Thomas Langton as he appears twice on the 1918 Absent voters register as you can see from his service number.



I think this is Thomas marriage?



Ben

[shred]

Well done Ben.

There is also a will available for William Langton link at a cost of £10.00

For an example of what information a will may contain see this post by forum member Colin Fraser.

[lizmaudsley]

Thanks ever so much Ben and Shred, you've really helped!
I have looked at T Langton several times in the National Roll but couldn't connect him to the RFA.
His service records say he joined the 11th Manchesters at Ashton in November 1914 but in April 1915 he was discharged unfit due to "extreme deafness"
Tom, Charles and William had an older sister Elizabeth Alice who was my husbands great grandmother.
She never spoke of the deaths of two brothers, in fact we only believed she had one brother, Tom, the one who survived and died in 1963.
The only story ever told by her regarding war was that one brother was returned to hospital in the UK, injured. Apparently he was in a terrible state, wet and dirty and she cleaned him up. So this was presumed to be Tom. I was also assumed that the hospital was Salford Royal as she visited him more than once. She never said that this brother had died.
It turns out that this brother was actually Charlie and the hospital Leeds Infirmary. He died of tetanus following a gun shot wound. According to his death certificate, his family were present at death. But this was never spoken of and then we found he is buried in Agecroft, close to the other family graves. But she never mentioned it. Very tragic..
We have been to William Sr grave at Trescault. Again we didn't know he existed. I suppose like many other families it may have been too painful. Also a different generation with different attitudes.
William Langton Jr is a new discovery. We have photos of his grave.
Anyway we are extremely grateful for all your time and effort, keep up the excellent work you do. Hopefully you may find a bit more.
Thanks Liz

[Ben]

Hi Liz, you are more than welcome

I understand why any family members who lived in those sad times would not talk about those who served or died back then.
This forum, just tries to keep their memories alive and to acknowledge the great sacrifice they made.

You will find this forum very friendly & knowledgeable and the forum admin staff work so hard to try and find what ever they can for the members & people who served in any conflict from the Salford area.

Ben

[shred]

1/8TH Lancashire Fusilier War Diary 27/9/1918

Trescault, France
Battalion in assembly positions by 2.0am. The Battalion attacked at 8.2am and found that the damage did not fall on enemy objectives. Heavy casualties incurred through enemy machine gun fire from front and both flanks. All Officers of "C" Company killed - 9 Officers, 132 ORs (other ranks) - mostly attributed to MG fire from guns not affected by our barrage. Certain men of the 2nd wave reached 1st objective capturing many prisoners and MGs, and again pushed forward.

12 noon to 1pm
1st objectives occupied

2pm to 3pm
Sunken Road Q.6.A&C. held and patrols out forward.
One platoon of "A" Company reached BROWNLINE Q.6. B&D was afterwards ordered to withdraw to conform with artillery barrage.

[lizmaudsley]

Thanks again!
Very interesting and gives us a bit of a clue what may have happened to him.
Liz

[lizmaudsley]

I hadn't mentioned that we go to the Western Front very regularly. In the last year we've been to Arras, Amiens, Ypres and to the Somme Centenary at Thiepval. Will probably not go again til about May but if anything thing is required as in photos, pick ups etc we would be most happy to oblige.
I have an uncle buried at New Irish Farm near Ypres but he is a Derbyshire man (I am from there), Brian has family buried around the Somme, Arras, cambrai.
We already have some Salford related pics and Brian has a large Salford Pals, Lancashire Fusiliers and general WW1 collection.
Liz

[shred]

WILLIAM LANGTON

Rank:Corporal
Service No:3454784
Date of Death:14/04/1943
Age:28
Regiment/Service:Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: 10. G. 17.
Cemetery:MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:Son of William and Winifred Langton, of Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire; husband of Alma Langton, of Pendleton.

Sorry to report that this is all I could see in the newspaper for William. Surname given as Longton - no "w longton" returns on CWGC so must be William Langton.

Salford Reporter 11th June 1943

[shred]

Charles Langton, 2nd Border Regiment.

[lizmaudsley]

Thank you so much Shred, that's fantastic.
Re William his "parents" were his mother and step father and were on Whit Lane.
We are really chuffed with the piece about Charles, answers a lot of bits. His death certificate says tetanus from gun shot to the foot and surviving hospital records say he was shot in the head. The article pieces it together.
Thanks a million x