Three: Private F. Norton, Cheshire Regiment, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 3 July 1916, on which date the battalion suffered over 300 casualties during the attack on the German trenches at Thiepval, as ‘line after line of troops were mown down’

1914-15 Star (16783 Pte. F. Norton. Ches: R.); British War and Victory Medals (16783 Pte. F. Norton. Ches. R.) nearly extremely fine (3) £100-£140

Fred Norton was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and attested for the Cheshire Regiment at Wallasey, Cheshire. He served with the 11th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 25 September 1915, and was killed in action during the battle of the Somme on 3 July 1916. On this date the Battalion was involved in an attack on the German line south of Thiepval, and the Battalion War Diary notes that leading waves passed over No Man’s Land in perfect order, but were met by heavy machine gun fire which brought the assault to a standstill approximately 50 yards from the German trenches, with ‘line after line of troops mown down’. Of the 20 officers and 657 other ranks that took part in the attack just 6 officers and 350 other ranks answered the roll that evening. Norton was amongst those killed. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.