210145 Thomas Horn British Army 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry from:Norwood, Surrey (d.21st September 1914) Thomas Horn was born in 1886 in Norwood, Surrey to James Horn, a plasterer, and Catherine Barnes, a laundress. One of fourteen children he lived in Dover Road, Norwood. On leaving school he became a stationer's errand boy.
In 1906 he joined the 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry, having previously served with the 3rd (Reserve) Royal West Surrey Regiment. In 1911 he was a private in India with the trade of carpenter. The 1st Battalion were stationed at Nasirabad, Rajputana (now Rajasthan). In January 1914, on completion of 7 years with the 1st Battalion, he went on the reserve list and was subsequently mobilised into the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry on the outbreak of war in August 1914.
The 2nd DLI proceeded to France, landing at St Nazaire on 10th September 1914 and at once moved to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF on the Aisne. . At dusk on 19 September the 2nd DLI left Bourg to enter the temporary, improvised trench line for the first time at Troyon just as the first Battle of the Aisne developed. At about 1pm on the 20th, the battalion to their right gave way under German pressure. This left the Durham's flank unprotected and open to heavy fire from a German machine gun. This fire continued for some time until the reserve battalion was able to move forward and reoccupy the position. During this period, on 21st September, Thomas was killed.
Thomas has no known grave but is remembered on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre memorial in France. His medals are on display in the Durham Light Infantry Museum (Medal Case 36, Display Group 60).
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