Main CPGW Record
Surname: THORNTON
Forename(s): Fred
Place of Birth: Skipton, Yorkshire
Service No: 4210
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Battalion / Unit: 'A' Coy 1/6th Battalion
Division: 49th (West Riding) Division
Age: 22
Date of Death: 1916-12-10
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: III. H. 10.
CWGC Cemetery: WARLINCOURT HALTE BRITISH CEMETERY, SAULTY
CWGC Memorial: ---
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: SKIPTON, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
Fred Thornton was the adopted son of James William and Elizabeth Nutter, née Thornton. Elizabeth was Fred's aunt. Both adoptive parents were born at Skipton, Yorkshire.
1901 Skipton, Yorkshire Census: 13, Albert Street - Fred Thornton, aged 7 years, born Skipton. [Fred was boarding with Elizabeth Garnett to whom he was possibly related. Also living there were her daughter, Hannah E. and son-in-law, Robert Nutter with their children.]
1911 Skipton, Yorkshire Census: Skipton & District Hospital - Fred Thornton, aged 16 years, patient, born Skipton. [Fred's adoptive parents were living at 28, Commercial Street, Skipton.]
The British Army Service Record for Fred Thornton exists but may be incomplete.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Pte Fred Thornton, 4210, 1/6th Bn W. Riding. Date and Place of Death: 10.12.16 France. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Aunt Sole Legatee - Elizabeth Nutter. £16 1s. 0d.
See also: ‘Guiseley Terriers: A Small Part in The Great War – A History of the 1/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment’ by Stephen Barber (2018).
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
THORNTON, Fred. [Additional]
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Private Fred THORNTON
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 49th (West Riding) Division
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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty
CWGC Headstone
Courtesy of Colin Chadwick, Harrogate
Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty
CWGC Headstone - personal inscription
Courtesy of Colin Chadwick, Harrogate
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
15 December 1916
THORNTON – December 10th, at a Casualty Clearing Station, France, from wounds received on November 23rd, 1916, Pte. Fred Thornton, West Riding Regiment, adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. James Wm. Nutter, 28, Commercial Street, Skipton, aged 22 years.
15 December 1916
SKIPTON'S ROLL OF HONOUR – PRIVATE FRED THORNTON
Another Skipton soldier who has laid down his life for King and Country is Private Fred Thornton, of the West Riding Regiment, who died on Sunday in No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station, France, from wounds received on November 23rd. Twenty-two years of age, deceased, who was the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. James William Nutter of 28, Commercial Street, Skipton, enlisted about twelve months ago, and had been in France about seven months. He was formerly employed as a weaver by Messrs. Firth and Moorhouse, Sackville Mill, Skipton, and was connected with the Skipton Congregational Church. When he had been out in France about twelve months he was wounded in the leg, for which he was treated at one of the base hospitals.
Writing to Mr. and Mrs. Nutter, an Army chaplain states that the deceased was very badly wounded and that he had been well cared for, and asks that his name should be placed on the list of those prayed for at the Church.
A letter has also been received from a nursing sister at the Casualty Clearing Station, stating that Pte. Thornton was admitted on November 24th suffering from shrapnel wounds in both legs and both arms, and injuries to the face and neck, and that he had been very ill right up to his death.
15 December 1916
PRIVATE FRED THORNTON, OF SKIPTON
Private Fred Thornton, of the West Riding Regiment, whose death from wounds is reported on Page 2 of this issue, was the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. James Wm. Nutter, of 28, Commercial Street, Skipton.
23 February 1923
ODDFELLOWS’ WAR MEMORIAL
UNVEILING CEREMONY AT A SKIPTON LODGE
OVER 200 WHO SERVED
There was a large attendance of local members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows at the Friendly Societies’ Hall, Skipton, on Saturday afternoon, on the occasion of the unveiling of a war memorial to the members of the Loyal Traveller’s Friend Lodge, I.O.O.F, M.U., who fell in the war.
The Memorial takes the form of a beautifully designed scroll within an oak frame with a glass front, the work of Mr. H. Spencer, junr., and it bears the inscription:–
LOYAL/TRAVELLER’S FRIEND LODGE,/SKIPTON DISTRICT ./I.O.O.F. ROLL OF HONOUR M.U./OF/THOSE MEMBERS OF THIS LODGE WHO FOUGHT FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY TO UPHOLD THE SACRED CAUSES OF BROTHERHOOD AND HUMANITY IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914–1918.
Below the inscription are the names of 173 members who served in the war, and of the 40 members who were killed. The names of the fallen occupy a central position on the scroll, and above them are the following words:–
IN MEMORIAM
OF THOSE WHO MADE THE
SUPREME SACRIFICE.
THEIR HEARTS ARE LIFTED UP
THEIR HEARTS
THAT HAVE FOREKNOWN
THE UTTER PRICE,
THEIR HEARTS BURN
UPWARD AS A FLAME
OF SPLENDOUR AND OF
SACRIFICE
The names of the fallen are as follows:– H. Armstrong, J.J. Brown, J. Barrett, Robt. Brown, W.W. Bell, A. Clayton, W.H. Coles, T.C. Chew, Tom Downes, T.M. Drummond, Jos. Emmott, Thos. Edmondson, J. Easterby, F. Gallagher, J.W. Garwood, G.E. Godwin, S.J. Hargreaves, M. Hargreaves, A. Hebden, J. Hebden, A. Hawkswell, T.E. Inman, M. Lund, R.C. [R.G.] Metcalfe, Hbt. Maudsley, Hy. Maudsley, A.J. Pimnock [Pinnock], H.Y. [Harry] Riley, T.W. Storey, J.H. Stewart, R. Spencer, J.W. Shuttleworth, Wm. Tempest, Hbt. Thompson, Fred Thornton, J.W. Varley, John Ward, J.A. Whittaker, J.W. Whittaker, and R.D. Whittaker.
The Unveiling Ceremony
The unveiling ceremony was presided over by Bro. Thos. Bellamy, and was performed by Bro. Amos Culpan, Prov. C.S., and a simple service included the singing of the hymns, ‘O God our help’ and Kipling’s Recessional, ‘God of our fathers,’ and the reading of a portion of Scripture, and the offering of a prayer by Bro. James Greenwood, of Bradford, and formerly of Skipton.
Bro. Bellamy observed that those members of the Lodge whom they were met to honour went into battle, suffered untold privations, and, in many cases, made the supreme sacrifice. They gave their lives in defence of their homes and their country. Further than that, they gave their lives for justice and freedom, and in order that we might live. It was the duty of Oddfellows, equally as much as other sections of the community, to do everything within their power to make the country better for that sacrifice. “In the time of our prosperity,” concluded Bro. Bellamy, “never let us forget those who served us in the time of our adversity.”
A Lesson of the War
Prior to unveiling the memorial, Bro. Culpan described the ceremony he had been asked to perform as one not unattended by sorrow. It was an occasion upon which one felt a desire to make their Order better for the sacrifice of its members, and to extend the true spirit of brotherhood. In nearly 4,000 of their Lodges they would find a roll of honour. Over 22,000 of their members made the supreme sacrifice, and thousands of others were ruined and shattered in health and without prospects for the future. Each and all of them ought to perform some daily service that would make the sacrifice of those men worth while. One result of the terrible ordeal of 1914 to 1918 was the creation of a better feeling between men, and a desire to break down the class barriers that formerly existed. That was one of the great lessons of the war.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
15 December 1916
TOMLINSON [sic] – December 10th, at No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station, France, of wounds received on November 23rd, Pte. Fred Thornton, of the 1st 6th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, of Skipton, aged 22.
In a far and foreign graveyard,
Where the trees their branches wave,
Lies a loving son and brother
In his cold and silent grave.
We think of him in silence,
And his name we often call;
Though there’s nothing there to answer,
But his photo on the wall.
From his Mother, Father, Sister, Brothers and Eva, 28 Commercial Street, Skipton.
[This obituary appears again on the 22nd of December presumably because of the wrong surname that was given.]
15 December 1916
SKIPTON SOLDIER KILLED
Mr. and Mrs. James William Nutter, of 28 Commercial Street, Skipton, have received word that their adopted son, Pte. F. Thornton, of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, died at No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station, France, on December 10th from wounds received in action on November 23rd. Pte. Thornton enlisted about a year ago, and had been out in France about seven months. He was 22 years of age and was formerly employed as a weaver by Messrs. Firth and Moorhouse, Sackville Mills, Skipton. When he had been out at the Front four months he was wounded in the leg, for which he was treated at a base hospital in France, and on his recovery returned to the trenches. He was connected with the Congregational Church.
A Chaplain to the Forces, writing to Mr. and Mrs. Nutter, states: – “Your boy Fred has got badly wounded. He is being well cared for, and all that can be done is being done. He asked me to let you know. Please have his name put on the list of those wounded prayed for at the church.”
The following letter has also been received from the sister-in-charge at the hospital in France: “I am afraid I have sad news for you today. Your nephew, Private F. Thornton, of the West Ridings, was admitted to us on November 24th with shrapnel wounds in both arms, both legs and slight wounds on the face and neck. He was very ill all the time he was with us, but he always hoped his strength would hold out and pull him through. Yesterday morning he showed decided signs for the worse and we could see his heart was failing. He died this morning at 9 a.m very quickly and peacefully. His personal effects will be sent to you in due course through the War Office. Please accept our sincere sympathy with you in your loss.”
22 December 1916
THORNTON – December 10th at No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station, France, of wounds received on November 23rd. Pte. Fred Thornton of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, of Skipton, aged 22.
In a far and foreign graveyard,
Where the trees their branches wave,
Lies a loving son and brother
In his cold and silent grave.
We think of him in silence,
And his name we often call;
Though there’s nothing there to answer,
But his photo on the wall.
From his Mother, Father, Sister, Brothers and Eva, 28 Commercial Street, Skipton.
14 December 1917
In loving memory of Pte. Fred Thornton, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who died in France Dec. 10th, 1916.
His grave is the grave of a hero, there on a foreign shore,
But his soul’s in a land of glory, where peace reigns evermore;
No more the noise of battle, no more the shot and shells,
But peace, eternal peace above, where he with angels dwells.
– From his loving Aunt and Uncle, Mr. and Mrs.E. Nutter.
In sad but loving memory of our dear beloved friend, Pte Fred Thornton, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who died in France from wounds on Dec. 10th, 1916, aged 22 years.
In a lonely grave so far away,
Where a brave young hero sleeps;
There are homes in England where loving friends do weep.
Forget him not we never will,
We loved him in life and we love him still;
In memory page will never blot
Three little words, “Forget him not.”
Dearly loved and mourned.
– From Eva and Grandma and Family.
13 December 1918
In sad but loving memory of Pte. Fred Thornton, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who died in France from wounds on Oct 10, 1916, aged 22 years.
Although we cannot clasp his hand,
His dear face we cannot see;
But as long as life and memory last
We will remember thee.
– Ever remembered by Eva, Grandma and Family. 14, King Street, Skipton.
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