Injuries other than permanent disablement are said to be regarded by some of the soldiers at the Front as blessings in disguise, because they mean "Blighty". We do not know if this is the case with Pte Stanley Barton, of the Essex Regiment, but we should think he has had as unfortunate an experience as any of the wounded.

The youngest son of Mrs Victoria Barton, of 2 Guildford Street, Luton, Stanley (pictured right) joined up very soon after the outbreak of war. He is a single man and, prior to the war, was employed by Mr Hugh Woods, straw hat manufacturer of 25-27 Guildford Street. He is 21 years of age, and has been at the Front a year.

In the battle of Loos he received a bullet wound in the leg. He was brought to England and recovered.

He had not been back in the fighting line very long ere he had another stroke of ill-luck. His party had just been relieved and were leaving the trenches for the billets behind the lines. They were under heavy shell fire at the time and, as Pte Barton was scrambling across the rough ground he slipped and fell into a large shell hole, sustaining serious injuries to the foot, Again brought to England he recovered and returned to duty to the trenches.

He was again wounded on the first day of the 'Big Push' [July 1st, 1916], pieces of shrapnel piercing his hip and thigh, and he is now in a hospital at Shrewsbury. Last week he underwent an operation when pieces of shrapnel were removed, and since then he has been progressing as well as can be expected.

Pte Barton, an old scholar of Waller Street Council School, has a brother with the colours, now at Purfleet.

[Stanley Barton was reported missing, presumed killed, in action on March 22nd, 1918.]

[The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: September 2nd, 1916]