Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William James Breckenridge Thornton was born 1897, 8th of July, to Robert T Thornton and Hannah K. Thornton grew up in 32 Thompson Street, Drummoyne, NSW, and worked as a bank clerk before enlisting in the war, as well as being a part of Presbyterian Faith. He enlisted into the war effort as a part of “New England’s Own”¹, which referred to the 33rd Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), an all-volunteer unit formed from ‘friends’ within New South Wales. 

Before World War 1, Thornton worked as a bank clerk, and attended the schools of Sydney Technical High School and Fort Street High School, before enlisting and being attested at 18 years and 6 months. In 1916, March 11, Thornton was assigned to join the 35th Battalion, and on the 29th of April, he was transferred to the 33rd Battalion and embarked aboard the HMAT A74 Marathon from Sydney 5 days later. On July 9th, Thornton and the 33rd Battalion disembarked upon Devonport, England in preparations to train and fight across the Western front lines. Thornton proceeded overseas to France, from Southampton, across the English Channel on 21st November 1916.

Thornton had many injuries and sickness during his wartime experience, and on the 2nd of February, 1917, he was admitted with scabies to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance and then on to a rest station before being being discharged back to duty on the 4th February. Thornton's first major battle was the Battle of Messines³, on 7 June 1917. During the Battle of Messines, the 33rd Battalion played a significant role in the attack on the southern end of the Messines Bridge, supported by massive underground mines. 

n July 1917 he was promoted to Lance Corporal but reverted to Private at his own request in October. In January 1918 Thornton took leave in England and rejoined his unit on the 26th January. On the 6th of March, 1918, Thornton was hit by shrapnel in the face, thigh and knee and was hospitalised in France and then transferred to England for further treatment. He returned to the front lines in August 1918

On 15th February 1919, Thornton left France and returned to England, in preparations for the journey back to Australia. He was shortly suspended from pay and confined for 4 days from punishment due to leaving camp secretly on 26th April 1919, and finally returned to Australia on 11th May 1919.

Thornton marryed Williamena Mayward on the 16th, April 1932. Along with this, he enlisted back into the military as part of the Volunteer Defence Corps² 7th Battalion on the 2nd of April, 1942, in the section of home defence, tasked with defending Australia from intruders. He passed away on 27 September 1971. 

Endnotes

¹ During the First World War, New England’s Own was a small group in NSW comprised by a group of friends, more commonly known as the 33rd Battalion 

² A main unit in Australia specialising in the defense of the country and civilians during World War 2

³ Attack by the British Second Army on the Western Front near the village of Messines spanning from 7 June 1917 - 14 June 1917

⁴ Campaign against the German Empire, taking place at the Western Front during 31 July – 10 November 1917

⁵ Also known as “Kaiserschlacht” or “Ludendorff offensive”, A defence against a series of German attacks at the Western Front beginning from 21 March 1918

⁶ A main unit in Australia specialising in the defense of the country and civilians during World War 2

Bibliography

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8099662&isAv=N 

https://vwma.org.au/explore/projects/189252/edit?wizard-page-index=0 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_AepV7JUkQDCw3RjimGU1yXFcoaDHFTg 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/248610903/william-j-thornton

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=393329&c=WW2