Lt-Col John Henry Langton DSO RE

[Jonathan Saunders]

I went off on a tangent at a local record office this morning and noted a few facts about the above named officer.

Born in Milton, Kent, around 1873

Parents John (a Shipwright) and Caroline Langton

Childhood mainly spent living in Gillingham, Kent

Married Catherine Mary Stapley in Gillingham, October 1902, when a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers

Was by 1919 a Lt-Col.

Awarded MSM around 1954/5

Lived in Gillingham, certainly from the mid/late 1920's until his death in 1955/6

I put his rank, name and award in to a search engine and the following came back.

"Lt-Col John Henry LANGTON - Enlisted in Rifle Brigade in 1888 & later transferred to the RE. He retired from the army in 1910 with the rank of Sgt-Major. He rejoined the army at the outbreak of war, though over military age & fought in France from 1914 until the Armistice. CSM, signal coy RE, appointed Lt, 203rd FC March 1915. Lt, transferred to Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Sept 1915, promoted Capt. His DSO (London Gazette 1-1-1918) was awarded for "conspicuous organising ability" in connection with the Messines Ridge attack in 1917. He was twice recommended for the CMG. During the 1918 retreat he kept back large numbers of the enemy with a handful of men and, it is said, saved a regiment from destruction".

Great I thought, until I found the same info but refering to a man of this name who was a native of Willingham, which I think is in Cambridgeshire.

Are there any DSO or RE experts (Terry?) who could confirm these are the very same man or if there are two John Henry Langton's in the Army List for 1918, or indeed provide any further info.

Many thanks in advance.

[Terry_Reeves]

Jon

Just one man of that name in the November 1918 Army List. Major JH Langton DSO, 4th Bn RWF. Seniority date 28 Feb 1917.

Terry Reeves

[Jonathan Saunders]

Thanks Terry - he was the brother-in-law of the chap (Greenhalgh) whose grave we visited at Nine Elms back in last April. Something else I can share with you is that I found a copy his daughter's marriage certificate in the parish registers and I bet there isnt many that have the Bride's father as a Lt Colonel and the Groom as Sergeant RE!