Born: 1897, Bolton
Died: 4 May 1917
Buried:
Address: 336 Killinghall Road, Eccleshill
Parents: Thoas & Lillie Maud, nee Warburton
Spouse:
Siblings: Marian, Frederic
Occupation:
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Luke’s, Eccleshill; Thiepval Monument
Children:
Regiment: Sherwood Foresters
Marmeduke Thornton
Marmeduke Thornton, known as
Duke, was born in 1897 in Bolton,
Lancashire, the son of Thomas
Thornton and Lillie Maud
Warburton.
By 1901 the family had moved to
Bradford and were living at 350
Killinghall Road.
Duke’s mother Lillie died in 1903
aged 32 years and was buried on
the 27th March 1903 in St Luke’s
churchyard. Thomas re-married at
St Luke’s Church in 1904 to Janet
Mitchell who was a widow and in
1911 they were living at 358
Killinghall Road .
At the time of Duke’s enlistment
his father Thomas was the
proprietor of the Oak Lane Cinema
and the family were living at 336
Killinghall Road.
Duke enlisted in 1915 as Private
202355 in the 2/5th Battalion of the
Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and
Derby Regiment) under the name
of Richard Thornton. This name
appears on all his World War 1
documents.
In April 1916 his battalion moved
to Ireland to quell disturbances and
did not depart for the Western Front
until 1917 landing at Le Havre on
the 26th of February.
Duke’s Battalion were involved in
action when the German army
retreated to the Hindenberg line
between the 14th March to the 5th
of April 1917 and it is probable that
he lost his life during this period
although records state that he was
killed in action on the 4th of May
1917 when the Arras offensive was
taking place. His battalion were
not involved in these battles.
A letter from an officer indicates
that there had been a delay in
finding his body.
The letter to his father states “I am
very sorry I have not been able to
let you know before now of your
great loss but his body has only just
been recovered.
“He was one of the finest fellows in
the company and a great favourite
chiefly owing to his good humour
and willingness even under the
most trying circumstances.
“The whole company and the
officers send you their deepest
sympathy and we mourn a very fine
soldier. I feel that the greatest
honour I can give you son is to say
that I wish all the men in the
company were like him.”
Duke was 19 years of age and he is
remembered on the Thiepval
memorial although his body must
have been buried at the time of his
death.
He left his effects to his father
Thomas who received £3.8.2d on
the 31st January 1918 and a War
Gratuity of £3.0.0d on the 19th of
December 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
