Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Mesopotamia D.C.M. group of six awarded to Private E.P. Thorne, 5th Battalion East Kent Regiment, later Captain, Hampshire Regiment

DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, G.V.R. (1667 Pte. 5/E. Kent R.-T.F.); 1914-15 STAR (Pte. E. Kent R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (2.Lieut.); DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS, the group mounted as worn and sold with original copy ofservices, very fine or better (6)

D.C.M., London Gazette, 15 April, 1916. 'For conspicuous gallantry in rescuing and attending to wounded men under heavy fire.'

Ernest Pollett Thorne joined the 1/5th Bn., The Buffs, at Sandwich in September, 1914, proceeding to India in January, 1915. He proceeded to Mesopotamia with the Expeditionary Force in January, 1916, where he was wounded in the leg at Wadhi on 2lst January. He took part in the actions at Sheikl Suad, for which he was awarded the D.C.M., Wadhi, Umel Kannal, Sanna-i-yat and Baghdad. Thorne was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in September, 1918, and joined 2/150th Indian Infantry, subsequently being appointed acting adjutant and Captain before being demobilized in 1920. Thorne was re-commissioned in 8th (H.D.) Bn., Hampshire Regiment at Soton in June, 1940, and subsequently as Adjutant and Company Commander, B Company, 30th Bn. Hampshire Regiment, January 1941. His service record notes that he was medically examined at Soton in 1940 after action by enemy aircraft. Thorne's peacetime qualifications are shown as intermediate examination L.A.A., Mercantile Law, and his occupation as author and scenario writer. He later became Director of the Ashford Entertainment Co. Ltd. and Personnel Manager at the Rank Organisation, Theatre Division.