Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Major F. W. Thornback, Hampshire Regiment, later Indian Army, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the Waziristan campaign

British War Medal 1914-20 (918 C. Sjt. F. W. Thornback. Hamps. R.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (918 Sjt. F. R. Thornback. Hamps. R.); India General Service 1908-35, 3 clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24, unofficial rivets between clasps (240044 W.O. Cl.1. F. W. Thornback. Hamps. R.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (240044 C.Q.M. Sjt. -A.S. Mjr.- F. W. Thornback. 1/5 Hamps. R.) substantive rank officially corrected; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (240044 Sjt. -A.C.Q.M. Sjt. F. W. Thornback. 5/Hamps: R.); together with the recipient’s Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge, nearly extremely fine, a rare combination to unit (6) £700-£900

M.S.M. London Gazette 3 September 1920:
‘In recognition of valuable services rendered in India in connection with the War (to be dated 3 June 1919).’

Frederick Walter Thornback was born in Southampton on 18 February 1891. A pre-War Territorial, he was serving with the 1/5th Hampshire Regiment as a Company Quartermaster Sergeant on the outbreak of the Great War, and was deployed with the battalion to India on 9 October 1914, remaining there for the duration of the War. For his services he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, and was awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal per Army Order 275 of 1919. He was not entitled to the Victory Medal.

Thornback continued to serve in India post-War, seeing service on the North West Frontier during the Third Afghan War, and subsequently during the Waziristan campaigns, being Mentioned in Despatches for his services in Waziristan in 1919-20 whilst serving as Railway Transport Sergeant-Major (London Gazette 10 June 1921). He was later attached to the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.

During the Second World War, Thornback was granted an Emergency Commission with the India Army on 3 October 1940, and served as a Movement Control Officer, finishing the War as a Major. Post-War he remained in India, and was employed as the Sports Editor of the Times of India. He died on 10 August 1964.

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