Neil Raymond Clark M - Kent Fallen

YALDING
Arthur Drummond (Bosky) BORTON VC,
CMG, DSO
Commanding Officer
2/22 nd (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment
60 th (London) Division
181 st Brigade
Buried Hunton Parish Burial Ground, Hunton, Maidstone,
Kent
On 30 th October 1917 the 60 th (London) Division were assembling 6 miles
south-west of the town of Beersheba in a small place known as Wadi Mirtaba.
The 181 st Brigade and the 179 th Brigade were given the task of attacking the
Turkish defence line at Beersheba. This attack was commenced the following
day (31 st October 1917). By early afternoon all objectives had been taken. On
6 th November 1917 the 60 th Division moved forward to the outskirts of Tel-El-
Sheria where the Turkish Army was still holding some high ground. On 7 th
November 1917 The 2/22 nd Battalion, London Regiment advanced to Wadi
Sheria arriving there in the early morning. It was here that the battalion came
under sustained fire from the enemy. The battalion “pressed forward” towards
the Turkish held positions. By the end of the day all objectives had been taken
albeit at considerable cost in terms of human life – 5 officers and 19 men
killed and a further 99 wounded (some of whom went on to die of wounds). It
is believed the enemy suffered enormous losses.
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London Gazette 18 th December 1917
VC Citation
7 th November 1917
“For most conspicuous gallantry and leadership. Under the most difficult
conditions in darkness and in an unknown country, he deployed his battalion
for attack, and at dawn led his attacking companies against a strongly held
position. When the leading waves were checked by a withering machine gun
fire, Lieutenant Colonel Borton showed an contempt of danger, and moved
freely up and down his lines under heavy fire. Reorganising his command, he
led his men forward, and captured the position. At a later stage of the fight he
led a party of volunteers against a battery of field guns in action at point blank
range, capturing the guns and detatchments. His fearless leadership was an
inspiring example to the whole brigade”.
Arthur Drummond (Bosky) Borton was born 1 st July 1883 at Cheveney,
Yalding near Maidstone Kent (Cheveney was the family residence). Arthur
was the eldest son of Colonel A.C Borton DL,JP. Educated at Eton and at the
Royal Miltary Academy Sandhurst. Arthur was gazetted Second Lieutenant in
the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (60 th Rifles) in 1902. He served in the last few
months of the Boer War and took part in operations in the Tranvaal. On 9 th
May 1906 Arthur was promoted to Lieutenant but two years later was
invalided from the army unfit for further active service. Arthur returned to
England in 1910 with the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 3 clasps. Arthur
emigrated to the USA where he tried his hand at fruit farming.
Upon the outbreak of war Arthur answered the call of his mother country and
immediately returned home to Cheveney. On 22 nd October 1914 Arthur reenlisted
in his old regiment the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. At some stage Arthur
threw in his army commission and joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) as an
Observer. In January 1915 Arthur left for France with No 3 Squadron RFC a
Lieutenant. On 3 rd March 1915 Arthur was involved in a serious flying accident
resulting in him breaking his neck in 2 places! For a second time Arthur was
invalided unfit for further active service.
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Somehow Arthur then obtained a commission in the Royal Naval Volunteer
Reserve! He was immediately sent to Gallipoli as a Lieutenant Commander
where he commanded two squadrons of Motor Machine Gun Armoured Cars
(Royal Naval Air Service). Arthur took part in the Suvla Bay landings of 7 th
August 1915. It was at this stage in his military career that Arthur won his
DSO.
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Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
London Gazette 31 st May 1916
“In recognition of most valuble services whilst in command of a detachment of
Royal Marine Motor Machine Guns in difficult and dangerous parts of the line
on the Gallipoli Peninsular”.
Arthur remained in Gallipoli until January 1916 - he was one of the last to be
evacuated to Egypt (via Mudros).
In June 1916 Lieutenant Commander Arthur Drummond Borton DSO, RNVR
somehow managed to obtain a commission in the army once more (Arthur
was indeed a remarkable man)! Arthur was promoted Major and was
appointed secon in command of the 2/22 nd London Regiment. In July 1916
Athur was in France with his battalion. In November 1916 his battalion was
sent to Salonika (Greece). Arthur served continuously at the front and was
eventually given command of the battalion. This was without doubt the
happiest time of Arthur’s life, he was absolutely elated to have been given the
honour of commanding his own battalion.
In June 1917 Arthur and his battalion left Salonika for Egypt. Upon arriving in
Egypt the 2/22 nd London’s were rested for a short while before moving to the
Palestine theatre (where Arthur was to win the VC).
After the war Arthurs life was virtually downhill all the way. He was unable to
hold down a job and ran up large debts. Athur started to drink heavily. It was
this state of affairs that led his father to change his will. Arthur although the
eldest son, was not given Cheveney the family residence. Arthur took this
very badly and decided to move to 3 Park Lane, Southwold in Suffolk with his
wife Lorna. They lived here on a private income. Arthur’s father died in 1927.
By this time the drink had well and truly taken hold of poor Arthur. On 5 th
January 1933 Arthur became ill and was taken to the cottage hospital in
Southwold. At some stage he had a stroke. Athur died later that day never
having regained conciousness (the drink had finally got him)!
On 9 th January 1933 Arthur’s body was returned to Cheveney in Kent for
burial in the Hunton parish burial ground. The army provided a guard of
honour from 2 nd London Regiment who also supplied 2 buglers to sound
Reville and the Last Post. Arthur’s coffin was draped in the Union flag and
then placed in the grave. His headstone read –
Arthur Drummond Borton VC, CMG, DSO
Lieutenant Colonel 60 th Rifles
2/22 nd London Regiment (The Queen’s)
Son of the late Colonel A.D Borton DL, JP
of Cheveney, Yalding, Kent
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Headstone 1977 (still in a reasonable condition)
Arthur was a truly remarkable man. He was very much of his era. A public
school educated man from a posh military family. Arthur was only really happy
when on active service. Never lacking in personal courage it was peacetime
that seemed to give him problems….
As you can see from the attached images, Arthur’s headstone is now
extremely worn (2006). It has plainly been allowed to gradually deteriorate
over many years.
It is a national disgrace that often deceased VC men have no headstone or
their headstones are decayed to the extent you can no longer read their
names. We think this reflects very badly on the United Kingdom and in
particular the local inhabitants where the grave lies. It is ludicrous that the
worlds fourth richest country neglects it’s heros like this!
The VC men are surely fine examples to our sons and daughters - NOT the
badly behaved, overpayed footballers and drug-ridden half-men of the pop
industry the media often seeks to falsely lionise.
Neil Clark and David Hughes are attempting to raise funds for a new
headstone. They want to restore his original headstone and then erect a
Victoria Cross Military Pattern Portland headstone behind it. Unfortunately the
Hunton parish council and local clergy are not in the slightest bit interested in
helping out. The Parish Council “passes the buck” to the church and the
church prefers to do nothing by citing the old nut - “it’s what the family erected
and should not be interfered with”. Arthur’s old regiment (now represented by
the Trustees of the Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment Association) refuse to act
independently of the vicar. What they really mean is that they all simply can’t
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e bothered! The same kind of lame excuses that we came across at Charing
with Ronald Stuart VC, DSO, RD, RNR (U.S Navy Cross) LINK TO CHARING
HERE.
A remarkable man like Arthur deserves better than this…
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Arthur’s father Col A.D Borton
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Lorna Borton
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Arthur’s handwritten request to serve in Russia 1919
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The Rector that doesn’t care… He wrote to us stating that Arthur’s grave was
merely one of many that need restoration. He didn’t seem to be interested in
the fact that Arthur won the countries highest decoration for valour. According
to him the headstone is an original grave marker and it shouldn’t be touched!
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November 2006
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Arthur’s headstone when we found it in 2003!
Arthur’s headstone 2006 – better but still not good enough…
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November 2006
The following photos are of the BORTON family’s graveyard plot in the St
Mary’s (Hunton Parish) Churchyard….
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Arthur’s brother “Biffy” Borton
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“Biffy” Borton during the Second World War
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Arthur A.D Borton - A Brave man indeed…
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