Notes
The Bristol Grammar School website provides his service and death details and this biographical information: 'Son of Thomas Octavius Gunton, and Eleanor Catherine Gunton, of Ravenhurst, Charlton Road, Keynsham. Younger brother of Ernest Stirling, and older brother of Hilda Catherine, Frida M, and Katrine Bertha.
Gunton was born on 12/06/1895, and attended the School from 1906-1914. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the RAF, with the Royal Flying Corps 70th Sqdn.. Gunton sadly lost his life on 09/08/1916, as a result of the War.
Gunton is remembered on Arras Flying Services Memorial, France. He had enrolled at Emmanuel College, Cambridge prior to the War.
The school Chronicle (July 1916) had written "On the Western front in the Royal Flying Corps are to be Second-Lieutenant R.B. Mansell and J.W. Gunton, and at times both are to be found in the same aeroplane, one as pilot, and one as observer: it is not known whether they have called it the 'Robert Thorne' or how many Fokkers they have placed to their credit, but good luck and steady nerves be with them." In December 1916 wrote by way of an obituary that he died "aged 20. 1906-1914. He left from the VIth Classical, and was reading for Holy Orders at Cambridge. He was commissioned in the Somersets, but was transferred to the Flying Corps in which he was an observer. His machine was shot down in circumstances which give the colour to the official description of 'Missing'. His cheerfulness and keenness was unfailing. Warfare was contrary to his whole nature, but he never grumbled at the task which duty laid upon him. Good humour never forsook him, and he was liked by all." In April 1918 it added "Futher information makes almost certain the death of J.W. Gunton, who was 'missing' in 1916. His machine was seen to dive steeply after an enemy, when two parts fell off, and the dive became vertical in an uncontrolled fall of 6,000 feet."