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L/Cpl. William Frederick Manton
British Army 12th Btn. Middlesex Regiment
from:Peckham
(d.14th Jul 1916 )
William Frederick Manton was born in 1882 in Deptford. His father was a Painter by trade and some years later the family moved to Peckham, Camberwell. On August 7th 1904 William married Mary Ann Blackman and they had five children. The eldest was my grandfather William Francis Manton.
The 1911 census shows that William Frederick was working as a Wireman for the London County Council Tramways.
When war was declared William Frederick answered Lord Kitchener's call and enlisted into the 12th Battalion Middlesex Regimentas a Private. He did his basic training at Colchester and on August 24th 1915 he embarked from Folkestone to France. On 31st of May he was appointed Lance Corporal.
On the 14th of July 1916 he took part in the capture of Trônes Wood. Just after midnight the 54th Brigade began to assemble for another attack on the wood. The two nearest battalions were ordered forward with the commander of the 12th Battalion Lieutenant Colonel F.A Maxwell put in charge of the attack. At 4.30 am an hour after the main attack the Battle of Bazentin Ridge had begun. There were eight British attacks on Trônes Wood and the first seven failed because of machine-gun fire from the strong points along the railway through the wood which were not captured until their positions became known.
William Frederick Manton was killed in action on this day, and he has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
