Name
John Oswald Thornhill
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/04/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
39442
Royal Berkshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Boxmoor memorials, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
John Oswald Thornhill was born in 1894 in Georgetown, British Guyana, the son of Mrs Johanna W Thornhill.
He arrived in London, England from Panama on 6 September 1915 on the Royal Mail Steam Packet Ship, Danube.
He was said to be living in Boxmoor at the time enlistment.
His mother later lived in 106 Garden Street, Georgetown, British Guyana.
Wartime Service
He had initially enlisted with the British West Indies Regiment under reg. no. 245. When he came to England he enlisted with the Gloucestershire Regiment, under reg. no. 24743, later transferring to the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment,
(N.B. Soldiers Died in the Great War lists 10th Battalion.)
He was killed in action on 25 April 1917 during the Battle of Arras, age 23.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
A war gratuity of £7 10s was divided between his mother and his half sister Amy Sherry. His pay owing of £11 12s 8d was divided between his mother, half brother John O Burnard, sister Kathleen and half sister Amy Sherry.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.dacorumheritage.org.uk
