The Magnus School’s Diary of The Great War -
‘Sunday 22 August 1915: Stretcher bearer Michael Herbert Edmonds Colton, 21, suffered a hero’s death amid blazing gorse in one of the most vicious battles of the Dardanelles campaign in Greece. The eldest son of the late Michael Herbert Colton of South Scarle Hall, Bert, as he was universally known was more genteel than warlike, but a thorough patriot. While attended the Magnus he became one of the first Scouts in the movement founded by Baden Powell. After leaving school, he went into the office of Edward Bailey and Son, Auctioneers, in Kirkgate and spent his recreational time either as District Scoutmaster or as a baritone singer in local concerts. Bert perished when the Yeomanry Division – which had been retrained in an infantry role – was ordered to charge up a target known as Chocolate Hill. In an age before telephone, radio, television or email, his widowed mother Minnie Jane Colton received letters over the next few weeks and months assuring her what a hero he was. Major Harold Thorpe of Coddington wrote from a crowded dug-out with shells flying all around: ‘Your brave son … brought no less than 14 men out of one patch of burning gorse and personally dressed the wounds of 10 of them. Unfortunately he was struck by a shrapnel bullet in the head and fell mortally wounded. I cannot express my admiration of the work done by the stretcher bearers … He has always been in my Squadron and has always been the pattern of what a soldier should be.’ Private Frank Robinson, 22, son of photographer Frank and Clara Robinson of Lombard Street who was also serving with the Yeomanry, wrote to Miss Ivy Lees, also 22, at 41 Portland Street: ‘He died like a hero. His duties as stretcher bearer took him right into the firing and there is no ducking as they have to carry the stretcher. Anyway, he and his chum carried in 34 cases before he was shot in the head. He is the only one hurt among the Newark fellows. We have lost the Colonel and some men killed and a few officers and some men wounded.’ A memorial service was held for Bert in South Scarle Church on Thursday 30 September 1915 immediately after the funeral service of his uncle, Thomas Edward Boot Colton, a land owner, merchant and for 15 years a Notts County Councillor.
Private 1715 Colton of ‘A’ Squadron Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry is also remembered on the Helles Memorial’.
Article published 11th September 1915 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“NEWARK SHERWOOD RANGER.
“DEATH AFTER HEROIC EFFORTS.
“The first casualty reported of a Sherwood Ranger from Newark is to hand, accompanied by a stirring story of the gallant hero's brave deeds on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The deceased soldier is Trooper Michael Herbert Edmunds Colton, 21, the eldest son of the late Mr. M. H. Colton (Messrs. Colton and Franks, solicitors) and Mrs. Colton, 71, Harcourt-street, Newark.
“Major Harold Thorpe, the squadron commander, writing to Mrs. Colton. says that her son brought no fewer than 14 men out of the burning gorse and personally dressed the wounds of ten of them before he was killed by a shrapnel bullet. Trooper Colton was a pioneer of the Scout movement in Newark, and was the district scoutmaster under the Commissioner. Captain J. P. Jeffcock, a former adjutant of the Sherwood Rangers.”
Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-198