Biography:

LIEUT. HORACE WILLIAM THORLEY, 17TH (DUKE OF CAMBBIDGE'S OWN) LANCERS. KILLED IN ACTION NEAR CAYEUX-EN-SANTERRE, AUGUST 8TH, 1918. AGED 23. At the School 1910—13 (Manor House). Lieut. H. W. Thorley was the second son of Mr. Joseph Thorley, of Wood Hall, Shenley, Herts., and his death in action took place but five days after the sad death, at Napsbury Military Hospital, of his youngest brother, Guy Dean Thorley (M.H. 1914—18), on August 3rd. The eldest brother, Joseph James Thorley (M.H. 1910—12), who was in the XI. in 1910—12, and Captain in 1912, and was appointed a School Praepostor in May, 1912, enlisted in the H.A.C. Infantry on August 7th, 1914, and was almost immediately transferred to the Transport. He received a temporary commission in the 7th Battn. East Surrey Regiment, dated December 24th, 1914, and went out as Brigade Transport Officer with the 8th Battalion. He was promoted Temporary Lieutenant and mentioned in Sir D. Haig's Despatch dated November 13th, 1916, and after serving for nineteen months on the Somme and becoming Assistant Adjutant and Temporary Captain, was nominated for a commission in the Regular Army, gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant to the 20th Hussars October 4th, 1916, and promoted Lieutenant April 4th, 1918. He served with the 20th Hussars in France from February, 1917, to January, 1919, and in Egypt from July, 1919, till June, 1920, and in the following October resigned his commission in the Regular Army. H. W. Thorley entered the School in September, 1910, from Elstree School, Herts., and on leaving in July, 1913, he went to Sherborne, Dorset, to learn farming with some people who supplied the Army with horses for manoeuvres, and whilst he was there some 2,000 horses passed through his hands. In December. 1916, he enlisted in the Artists Rifles and played as a forward in their football team, which was only once beaten during the season. Then, after training as a Cadet he received a temporary commission, dated December 21st, 1916, in the 8th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry, and joined his Regiment at The Curragh. Or February 16th, 1917, he went out to France, being attached to the 17th Lancer; (Death or Glory Boys), and served for long in the trenches up to the spring of 1917. He was then invalided home with trench fever, and in due course returned to The Curragh. There he remained till he was sent with a draft to the 12th Lancers in France, February 18th, 1918 but having obtained a commission in the Special Reserve, dated June 12th, 1918, he succeeded in obtaining a transfer to his old Regiment, to which he was devoted, the 17th Lancers. He was a keen and good horseman, and about a week before he was killed won a cup in a race, open to all comers, in which there were forty-three starters. On August 8th, 1918, the first day of our great offensive, he was killed near Cayeux in the midst of a most successful cavalry action. The Lancers were clearing some woods, and after fighting had been in progress for about an hour his troop, having been in reserve, were in the act of mounting to go to the support of another, when a shell burst in their midst, killing the S.S.M. and three other men and wounding him so terribly in the right arm and also in the face and side that, though amputation of the arm was performed on the spot, he died before they could get him to the dressing station. He was buried in the churchyard of Cayeux-en-Santerre, on the Luce, about twelve miles east of Amiens. His Squadron Leader's letter contained the following:— " He was a most cheery and delightful person and the whole Regiment were very pleased when he came back to us after being with the 12th. . . . He was a great favourite with every one, and the officers of his Squadron who knew him best will always remember him as a firm friend and a very gallant officer." The CO. of the 17th Lancers wrote :— " He, I believe, loved the Regiment and we certainly loved him. He was an universal favourite, always cheery and ready for anything, and we shall miss him terribly." His Squadron Commander wrote :— " He was always cheery and willing, even in the most unpleasant situations, and by his example and personality put confidence into the most doubting." Finally a Captain wrote :— " ' Jorrocks,' for that was the nickname we gave him, was of the most lovable, cheeriest, brightest disposition and character, quite one of the most popular officers in the Regiment—a sportsman to his finger-tips."


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H. W. Thorley entered the School in September, 1910, from Elstree School, Herts., and on leaving in July, 1913, he went to Sherborne, Dorset, to learn farming with some people who supplied the Army with horses for manoeuvres, and whilst he was there some 2,000 horses passed through his hands.