Name
William Harry Horton
13 May 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/04/1917
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
20321
Canadian Infantry
10th Bn., Alberta Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
Plot XIX, Row A, Grave 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
Christ is All
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Pre War
Born in Watford on 3 May 1891, William Harry Horton was the son of Frederick William and Elizabeth (née Hibbert) Horton of Watford. His parents were married on 13 May 1882 at the Parish Church in St Albans. Elizabeth died in 1907 and Frederick died in 1940 in St Albans.
At the 1891 Census, William’s family was living at 17 Sotheron Road, Watford and his father is working a Grocer’s warehouseman. He and his wife are both 31 years old and they have three children; Elizabeth, Frederick and Emily, who are 8, 6 and 3 years old respectively. William does not appear on the census.
By the time of the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 30 Liverpool Street, Watford. William is 9 years old and has four siblings; Elizabeth (Jnr.), Frederick (Jnr.), Emily and John. Both his parents are 41 years old and those of his siblings are 18, 16, 13 and 7 respectively. The birthplaces are given as Aldershot for Frederick (Snr.), St Albans for Elizabeth (Snr.), Elizabeth (Jnr.) and Frederick (Jnr.) and Watford for the other three children. Frederick (Snr.) was now working as a foreman for a wholesale grocer, Elizabeth (Jnr.) is a confectioner’s assistant and Frederick (Jnr.) is a bookmaker.
William initially attended school in Watford at Sotheron Road Infants and then at Beechen Grove Board School between 3 January 1898 and 26 March 1902.
At the 1911 Census, his father is a widower and is boarding at the family home of Warwick William Lendon, a painter and illustrator, at St Osyth, Oxhey Avenue, Watford. None of his children are living there. He is still working as a foreman for a wholesale grocer.
William is recorded on the Canadian 1911 Census living in Regina, Saskatchewan, aged 20, and working as a labourer. He possibly had sailed on 21 May 1910 from Glasgow to Quebec on the Allen Line Ionian, registered as a 19-year-old salesman.
Wartime Service
William attested on 22 September 1914 at Valcartier, Canada. He was 23 years old, unmarried and trading as a barber. He gave his next-of-kin as Frederick William Horton, c/o Henry Kingham and Sons, Watford. He joined as Private 20321 in the 103rd Regiment Calgary Rifles and sailed from Quebec on 1 October 1914 aboard the SS Scandinavian.
William suffered a shrapnel wound to his left cheek and was admitted to the Red Cross Hospital at Dublin Castle on 30 April 1915. He was subsequently transferred to the Eastbourne Convalescent Hospital on 17 May 1915 and was discharged from there on 22 June into the 9th Reserve Battalion.
After embarking on 15 July 1915, he returned to France and was transferred into the 10th Battalion, joining his unit on 24 July 1915. He undertook a machine gun course between 11 and 25 September.
William was appointed lance corporal on 30 September 1916, and then as acting corporal on 19 October before being confirmed promoted to corporal on 6 December 1916.
He was admitted with “general disability” to No.7 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples on 4 April 1917 and was recorded as dangerously ill with pneumonia on 13 April 1917. He died on 16 April 1917 of Pneumonia Phthisis.
He is commemorated at Etaples Military Cemetery in northern France and the grave headstone is inscribed “Christ is All”.
There is a Death announcement for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 21 April 1917, and an In Memoriam in the issue dated 13 April 1918.
His father’s address was later updated to 23 Devereaux Court, Strand, London WC2.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Paul Johnson
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Paul Johnson
