Name
Horace William Thorley
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/08/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAIX BRITISH CEMETERY
I. I. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Shenley Village Memorial, St Botolph's Church Memorial, Shenleybury (now lost) (*1), Tonbridge School War Memorial, Kent
Pre War
Horace William Thorley was born at Ringdale Manor, Fernham, Berkshire in 1895, the second son of Joseph and Mary Thorley (nee Robertson). His father was the owner of animal food manufacturer, Thorley's Foods with a factory in King's Cross, London which was established in 1851 by Joseph Thorley (Snr) Horace's grandfather.
At the time of the 1901 Census the family were living at Fernham Village and his father was said to be 'living on own means'. They employed four servants. His mother died in 1903 at Fernham, his father remarried in 1905 to Lilian Marion Tipper and they had a daughter Kathleen (Horace's half sister) in 1910.
Horace was educated initially at Elstree School, Herts, followed by Tonbridge School, Kent in September 1910. His brothers Joseph and Guy also attended Tonbridge School. At the time of the 1911 Census, Horace was living at Manor House School, Tonbridge, Kent as a boarder.
Upon leaving school in July 1913, Horace went to Sherborne, Dorset to learn farming with people who supplied the Army with horses.
Wartime Service
In December 1916 he enlisted in the Artists' Rifles and after training as a Cadet he obtained a temporary commission in the 8th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry, then stationed at The Curragh, Ireland.
On 16 February 1917 he was sent to France attached to the 17th Lancers and served in the trenches for some months until he was invalided home with trench fever. Once recovered. he returned to The Curragh but was then returned to France with the 12th Lancers on 18 February 1918. He obtained a commission as Second Lieutenant on 12 June 1918 and was transferred back to the 17th Lancers.
He was killed in action near Cayeux, France on 8 August 1918, aged 23, whilst in an operation clearing some woods. He was in a reserve group and was in the act of mounting to support another troop when a shell burst near him, killing four men and wounding him severely. His arm was amputated but he died before arriving at the dressing station. He is buried in Caix British Cemetery, Somme, France.
Additional Information
*1 Believed named on the lost memorial.
His father received a war gratuity of £5 10s and pay owing of £103 2s 10d. His father also obtained probate of his estate on 3 December 1918 in London with effects of £269 6s 4d.
Horace is commemorated on his brother Guy’s grave in Shenley (St. Botolph) Churchyard, Shenleybury. Their inscription reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CADET GUY DEANE THORLEY. YOUNGEST SON OF JOSEPH THORLEY OF WOOD HALL, SHENLEY. WHO DIED IN NAPSBURY MILITARY HOSPITAL. AUGUST 3RD 1918. AGED 19 YEARS.
ALSO OF HORACE WILLIAM. SECOND SON. LIEUT. 17TH LANCERS.
KILLED IN ACTION AUGUST 8TH 1918, AGED 23 YEARS. AND BURIED IN CAYEUX-EN-SANTERRE, FRANCE.
N.B. This inscription is incorrect as regards the burial place of Horace. It is likely that he was initially buried by the Germans at Cayeux Chateau German Cemetery at Cayeux-en-Santerre in August 1918, along with eleven other cavalrymen and one Canadian soldier, the bodies of whom were later concentrated into Caix British Cemetery at the end of the war. On CWGC records he was initially listed as an unknown British officer, and Lieutenant of the 17th Lancers, and later identified as Horace.
SDIGW and Medal Record Index give the date of death incorrectly as 8 October not 8 August 1918.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
www.cwgc.org/stories
