Linton was born about September 1897 at Needingworth and his family were still living at Church St in 1901. He had an elder sister called Gladys, and 3 younger sisters – Lily, Sofia and Winifred. By 1911 the family are living in St.Ives with Linton’s grandmother Lizzie Lantaff and his mother Emma is a domestic servant at a hotel in Oldhurst. Gladys is also a domestic servant and Linton himself is a Farm Worker working for Edward Anderson at Hill Farm.
Linton enlisted at Huntingdon and was a Lance Corporal in the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was killed in action on the 20th October 1917 in the third battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele. The casualties on the British side during Passchendaele were a quarter of a million, many literally drowning in the sea of mud in Belgian Flanders. 90,000 were reported missing, never to be found.
His name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres, Belgium and he received the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Hunts Post 9th November 1917
Pte L. W. Lantaff, Bedfordshire Regiment, son of Mrs. Lantaff, Kidmans Row, St. Ives was killed in action in France on October 20th. Lantaff was a fine young fellow, and he answered his country’s call quite early in the war, prior to which he was employed by Mr. Edward Anderson, Hill Farm. A few months ago he was on home leave from the Front.
Hello,
Linton Lantaff was my Great Uncle.
I would like to add some additional information and also advise that the photograph here is not that of Linton. The photograph shown is actually a photograph of my Grandfather George Lantaff who was Linton’s younger brother. Sadly Linton was killed in WW1 and George in WW2.
I do have a photograph of Linton, but I’m afraid I can’t work out how to upload it.
Linton had one older sister Violet Gladys, three younger sisters Lilian Marcella, Celia Emily and Winifred Elizabeth and one younger brother George John Arthur.
Thanks ever so much for the information. If you can attach the correct photograph to an email to me I shall try to make sure I correct it when I next do an update. (I will email you separately for this purpose)
Thanks again, Peter
Thanks Peter – email received and I have sent you the photo.
Many thanks for this memorial to Linton and for all your hard work on this site.
Andrea
I was so interested to read this information about Linton Lantaff. Ever year between 1914 and 1918 the Royal British Legion allocates me a soldier to commemorate under their ‘Every Man Remembered’ scheme and this year ‘my’ soldier is Linton. To be able to learn a little more about him and even to see a photo I found very moving. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment. You will see from the comment from Andrea Neve (a relative) on that page that the photo is wrong – sorry about that. I hope to update the site within the next month or so.
Hi Peter… Can you confirm if the current photo of Linton is now the correct one? I am compiling the life stories of all the men named on the St Ives War Memorial and am just completing the entry for Linton. I’d very much like to include a photo of him.
You can read the entires to date at the following web site : http://stives100yearsago.blogspot.com/2018/02/st-ives-during-world-war-i.html
Thanks, John
Andrea… I’ll post a link to Linton’s entry when finalised. If you can let me have any extra information I’d be grateful. John
Hi John, Thanks for your interest, and for the update. My direct answer is no, I have not managed to update the photo yet (sorry Andrea but I have so much to catch up on). For anyone looking at this in future, when I do put the correct photo here it shows Linton within the colours of the Bedfordshire Regiment.
Peter
Ooops! Apologies Andrea. Have spotted you sent me the correct photos and info some time ago. Since I’ve got your email address I’ll let you know directly when Linton’s web entry is added.