Bt Lt Col John Evelyn Thornhill DSO, Seaforth Highlanders

[gordon92]

Gentlemen,

I thought some forum members might be interested in seeing a uniform from my collection of a Seaforth Highlanders officer in full dress pre-1914. Also, I am hoping that I might receive some advice on how to further research some aspects of the uniform owner's background. Much of the uniform (picture below), including the doublet, belonged to Brevet Lt Colonel John Evelyn Thornhill DSO, Seaforth Highlanders. He died of disease on 2 Oct 1918 after serving on the Western Front. The plaid brooch came from Captain William Duncan Hepburn, Seaforth Highlanders who was killed at Gallipoli 28 April 1915 while attached to the 5th Royal Scots. Some details on Thornhill:

• Born 1880 as first of five children to Francis Evelyn Thornhill, Esq and the former Marjory Anne Jameson, both from Ireland. The family resided in St. Neots, Huntingdonshire.
  
• Educated Cheltenham College; 2nd Lt., Scottish Rifles, 6.12.99; transferred Seaforth Highrs. 20.12.99; Lt., Seaforth Highrs., 21.1.01; Capt., Seaforth Highrs., 24.2.06; Adjt., T.F., 15.3.13 to 8.2.16; Major 1.9.15; Bt. Lt. Col. commanding 8SH 25.10.15 to 27.12.1915; served S. African War, 1900-2 ; Queen’s Medal, 3 clasps; King’s Medal, 2 clasps; Europ. War Despatches. He died 2.10.18. Buried at the North Front Cemetery, Gibraltar.
  
• Became Companion of the Distinguished Service Order 14.1.16.
  
• Commemorated on Eaton Socon memorial as one of 73 men from that community who died in the Great War.
  
• Regarding his death, the St Neots Advertiser on 25 Oct 1918 published this obituary 'He was on his way to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force as a General Staff Officer, when he was struck down by severe illness on board ship and died in hospital in Gibraltar.' It would be reasonable to speculate that the mortal illness involved was the Spanish flu.
  

Additional data on Hepburn:

• 2nd Lt. 2SH 18.1.02; Lt. & Adj. 17.5.05; Capt. & Adj. attached to 5th Royal Scots (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) 13.11.11.
  
• Killed 28.4.15 at Gallipoli while attached to 5th Royal Scots. Commemorated on Helles Memorial.
  

Both men served concomitantly in the 2nd Seaforth and are seen in the second attached photo said to be taken at Aldershot in summer 1905. Thornhill is standing in the back row third from left (facing picture), and Duncan, who was Adjutant at the time, is in the sitting row fourth from the right.

I would like to research Lt Col Thornhill further on questions that are unlikely to be found in any existing written records. For example, as Thornhill is apparently either Irish or English with no evident Scottish connections, why did he initially choose the Cameronians/Scottish Rifles? Why did he transfer to the Seaforth Highlanders? Such information could be held by still-living descendents, and I realize that is a longshot. His children, if any, are unlikely to be still alive, but grandchildren might be. I am at a loss as to how to proceed on a research trajectory to identify possible grandchildren and obtain contact information.

From reading this board, it appears that many of you are adept at this form of research. I would be most grateful to receive some advice on the best way to go about researching Thornhill's descendents.

Regards,

Mike

[Steven Broomfield]

Slightly off-topic, but this rather reinforces points made elsewhere on the Forum about the "Scottishness" of "Scottish" war dead: born in Huntingdonshire of Irish parents, yet served in regiments which could hardly be more Scottish.