Thornber Brother 1/5th East Lancs regiment

[Matt 71]

Hi

Im trying to find out more about my Great grandad Rennie Thornber nu 1864  also 240279 and his brother Walter 2159, where they would have landed and fought also where they were injured and in Walter ps case killed.

unfortunatly I have no service records medal or photo, any help appreciated.

 

Thanks Matt

[BereniceUK]

Any relation to Private William Holgate Thornber, of Nichol Street, Burnley, a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade, who died of enteric fever, at Bloemfontein, South Africa, on 4th June 1900?

[Matt 71]

I’m not sure I will ask my parents , but I don’t thinks so they were from Nelson originally.

[familyhistoryman]

Matt

 

I don't know if the have seen the Burnley in the Great War website.?

 

It included a list of those who lost their lives and included your Wlater with an image and reference to a newspaper report of his death:

 

http://www.burnleyinthegreatwar.info/burnleyrollofhonourment/thornberwalter2159.htm

 

Tony

[Matt 71]

Thanks Tony

No Rennie on the rolls, but I’ve contacted Andrew. 

Thanks again

[busterfield]

From the familysearch site. Also service number 240279 2nd Battalion, so there may be a partial service record available.

[michaeldr]

 

Rennie Thornber nu 1864  also 240279 and his brother Walter 2159, where they would have landed and fought also where they were injured and in Walter ps case killed.

 

The Burnley Roll of Honour seen above says that he 'Died of Wounds' so it will be difficult to say exactly which action resulted in his death. Since he died before being able to be evacuated off the peninsula however, it is possible to guess that the fatal action could even have been earlier that same day when there was very heavy and costly fighting in what became known as the Third Battle of Krithia.

 

The 1/5^th Battalion (TF) East Lancs were in Egypt in January 1915 and served at Kantara on the Suez Canal during the third week of April 1915.

Sailed from Port Said on the Galeka on 6^th May & arrived at Helles, Gallipoli, on 9^th May 1915

Moved forward to firing line Achi Baba Nullah on 11^th May for 7 days, taking casualties of 4 killed and 25 wounded

Returned to the front line 21^st May until 25^th

26^th May 1915 – attached to units of the 29^th Division in trenches between Fir Tree Wood and Gully Ravine

4^th June 1915 – Took part in Third Battle of Krithia

details from Westlake's 'British Regiments at Gallipoli'

The map below indicates both Fir Tree Wood and Gully Ravine

Map from the British OH

[Neil 2242]

There are some fragmentary service records for Rennie Thornber on FmP, which you should be able to extract some useful things from.

Lots of correspondence about him being underage by the look of it.

[Neil 2242]

Newspaper reports all seem to suggest that Walter was killed on 6th June, which clearly doesn't square with the CWGC record.

 

 

[Matt 71]

Thank you

Fasinating  research, I will get down to the local library as soon as I can.

Much appreciated 

Edited 12 February , 2019 by Matt 71

[familyhistoryman]

2 hours ago, Neil 2242 said:

Newspaper reports all seem to suggest that Walter was killed on 6th June, which clearly doesn't square with the CWGC record.

 

 

All the sources apart from the WW1 pension index card has the death as 4th June as his death. I haste seen many newspaper reports having information that differs with the CWGC sometime dates sometime rank and sometimes regiment 

Tony

[Matt 71]

 

 

Andrew has added Rennie into the Burnley roll of honour, crying into my corn flakes very proud.

 

Thankyou Andrew