Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women of the South Staffordshire area who died during the two World Wars.
Ernest Whitfield Moreton was born at Wrestlers, Brineton, early in 1895. He was the son of William Whitfield Moreton, a farmer, and his wife Edith. William died in 1905. By 1911 the Moretons had moved to Brocton Grange; Ernest (now 15) was working on the farm which was in the care of a bailiff.
Ernest enlisted in February 1916 in the 2/6th Territorial Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment. He may have been with his Battalion by the time that it was sent to Dublin to assist against the Irish Nationalist forces in April 1916.
By March 1917 the Battalion had arrived in France as part of the 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. Although the division was considered insufficiently trained, there was no time for further preparation before it was put into the front line south of the Somme, near Estrees. The Division was in action during the Third Battles of Ypres (1917) and the Cambrai operations (1917).
In February 1918 the Division was in the front line at Bullecourt. On 21st March they suffered heavy casualties from German shellfire before the enemy attacked and broke through the line causing severe casualties. It was during this action that Ernest was killed. His body was not recovered and some time later he was presumed killed. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
L/Cpl Ernest Whitfield Moreton, 241541, 2nd/6th Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment, was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
This memorial has mostly been compiled from official sources. It would be good to be able to expand it with more personal material - memories, stories, photos, etc. If you have any suitable material or any corrections please contact Greg.