Born St Pancras. Private. Killed in action, France and Flanders, 1/7/16 aged 25. Pte Stratton has no known Commonwealth war grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
His surname is misspelt on the memorial as "Streatton".
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this man: Private William James Cecil Stratton was born on 21 August 1892 at 2 Burton Crescent, St Pancras, the son of William James Cecil Stratton and Elizabeth Stratton. His father was a Glass Cutter and Fitter. He was baptised on 5 September 1892 and the 1901 census shows him still living with his parents and three sisters at 2 Burton Crescent.
In 1910 he married Lucy Rose Etheridge and they went on to have three sons, William James, Henry Cecil and Herbert Leonard Stratton. The 1911 census shows him living with his wife and eldest son at 3 Leverton Place, St Pancras and his occupation was recorded as a Boot Machinist. He joined the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment, service number G/8190, and entered France on 6 June 1915. His death was presumed on or after 1 July 1916 and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on the Pier and Face 12D and13B of the Theipval Memorial, Somme, France. He was aged 25 years.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show that at the time of his death his wife was living at 12 College Lane and his father at 14 College Lane. On 30 July 1917 his widow received his £3-3s-8d back pay and on 10 November 1919 a War Gratuity of £5-10s-0d. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
Andrew points out: I cannot find any record of him serving in the 19th (St Pancras) London Regiment, like so many of the other names on the plaque, but he was in the Middlesex Regiment.
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