Biography of Corporal Arthur Thornton, (59)
Household Battalion, Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line
Formerly 4074 1st Life Guards
Died 7th October 1917

Soldier

  • Name: Arthur Thornton
  • Date of birth: 1894
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: April – June 1894
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: Willie Thornton
  • DOB: 21st July 1866
  • Place of Birth: Friday Bridge Elm, Cambridgeshire, England
  • Occupation: Horseman on farm

Mother

  • Name: Elizabeth Smith
  • DOB: 1869
  • Place Of Birth: Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England
  • Marriage: Unknown

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • George Thornton, 1888, Bourne
  • Rebecca Thornton, 1889, Bourne (Died 1890)
  • Rebecca Thornton, 1891, Bourne (Died 1892)
  • Arthur Thornton, 1894, Bourne
  • Lydia Thornton, 1896, Bourne
  • Florence May Thornton, 1901, Bourne (Died 1901)
  • Eva Thornton, 1903, Bourne
  • William Thornton, 1905, Bourne

Census

  • 1901: Arthur is living with his parents in Bedehouse Bank, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: Arthur is living with his parents at Eastgate, Bourne, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 17 and he is listed as a labourer fellmonger.
Relatives in services

  • None found

Marriage

  • No marriage for Arthur has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • The Times Monday February 19th 1917
    WOUNDED
    HOUSEHOLD BN
    Thornton, 59, A. (Bourne)

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 27th October 1917
    WAR NOTES – Official notification has been received during the week of the death of three Bourne “boys”. Pte John Albert Victor Bosley, of the Australian Imperial Forces, was killed on October 4th. He was in Australia at the time of outbreak of war and joined the forces in the Colonies in March 1916 after having been twice rejected. He was in training in Australia for six weeks, afterwards being transferred to Salisbury Plain, where, after four months further training, he was drafted abroad. Another notification was in respect of Pte. Arthur Thornton, who was formerly in the employ of Messrs. T.W. Mays and Sons. Ltd. and was of such fine physique as to be acceptable for the Life Guards. The third notification was that of Sergt. Major Stephen Kettle, who was quite recently home on leave. Deceased was well known at Bourne and was in the Amy prior to the outbreak of war. Official notification has also been received that Pte. William Michelson, of Bourne, is missing. The news was received on Friday, the information being forwarded to his wife.

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Wednesday 7th November 1917
    N.C.O.’S AND MEN.
    KILLED
    HOUSEHOLD BATTN. – Thornton (59) Lce.-Cpl. A. (Bourne)

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 10th November 1917
    Other Regiments.
    Killed – Household Battalion, Thornton 59 Lce.-Corpl. A. (Bourne)

    Military Records

    Attestation Papers

    • Available

    Soldier’s Died In The Great War

    • These records show that A Corporal Arthur Thornton, 59, Household Bn HouseholdCavalry and Cavalry of the Line was killed in action on 7th October 1917 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

    Pension Records

    • Available

    Effects Left To

    • Father Willie

    Medals

    • The British Medal
    • The Victory Medal

    Memorials

    • UK:
    • Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church
    • Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

     

    © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

    © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

    Military Service Timeline

    • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

    Sources

    • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
    • British Newspaper Archive.
    • Fold 3
    • Find My Past
    • Genealogist
    • Forces War Records
    • British Army Service Numbers
    • War Gratuity Calculator
    • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
    • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
    • General Registry Office