Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lance-Sergeant W. E. Thorne, 24th (2nd Sportsman’s) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 13 November 1916

1914-15 Star (3264 Pte. W. E. Thorne. R. Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (Spts-3264 Cpl. W. E. Thorne. R. Fus.); Memorial Plaque (William Edwin Thorne) good very fine (4) £160-£200

William Edwin Thorne was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, and attested for the Royal Fusiliers at Swansea. He served with the 24th (2nd Sportsman’s) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 15 November 1915, and was killed in action on 13 November 1916, on which date the Battalion was involved in an attack on Beaumont Trench. Moving out in thick fog into No Man’s Land at 5:15 a.m. the operation was successful, with 5th Brigade taking all of its objectives along with many prisoners. The Battalion suffered 22 other ranks killed in action and 3 other ranks died of wounds that day, including Thorne. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

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