THORNTON, Sidney Whitta
| Service Number: | 71583 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 October 1918, “In 1915 he was appointed Hon. Sec. to the Australian Red X Commission in Egypt, returning to Australia in 1916. He gave many Red X lectures in NSW & in 1918 toured Queensland for the Red X & raised large sums of money & created a new interest in the cause.” |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Army Pay Corps (AIF) |
| Born: | Braintree, Essex, England, 12 April 1877 |
| Home Town: | Parramatta, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | School teacher |
| Died: | Illness, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England , 19 November 1919, aged 42 years |
| Cemetery: |
Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom Row II, Grave No. 246 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Oct 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 71583, Army Pay Corps (AIF), “In 1915 he was appointed Hon. Sec. to the Australian Red X Commission in Egypt, returning to Australia in 1916. He gave many Red X lectures in NSW & in 1918 toured Queensland for the Red X & raised large sums of money & created a new interest in the cause.” | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Oct 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 71583, Army Pay Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Wyreema embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 14 Oct 1918: | Embarked Corporal, 71583, Army Pay Corps (AIF), SS Wyreema, Sydney | |
| 21 Jul 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Army Pay Corps (AIF), Cpl (a Sgt) Hon Lt attached to the Red Cross. | |
| 19 Nov 1919: | Involvement 71583, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 71583 awm_unit: Australian Army awm_rank: Honorary Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1919-11-19 |
Help us honour Sidney Whitta Thornton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 19th November…… Sidney Whitta Thornton was born at Braintree, Essex, England on 12th April, 1877.
Sidney Whitta Thornton, Schoolmaster, aged 23, married Adeline Gray, aged 25, on 18th April, 1900 at St. James Church, Clapham Park, Lambeth, England.
According to information provided by his widow for the Roll of Honour, Sidney Whitta Thornton was sent to New Zealand in 1900 & Australia in 1913. “In 1915 he was appointed Hon. Sec. to the Australian Red X Commission in Egypt, returning to Australia in 1916. He gave many Red X lectures in NSW & in 1918 toured Queensland for the Red X & raised large sums of money & created a new interest in the cause.”
He joined the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 4th October, 1918 as a 41 year old, married, Accountant from Sydney, NSW. He was posted to A.A.P.C. (Australian Army Pay Corps) on 4th October, 1918 & was promoted to Corporal on 5th October, 1918.
Corporal Sidney Whitta Thornton embarked from Sydney, NSW on SS Wyremma on 14th October, 1918 with the rank of Acting Sergeant (Voyage Only) & was to revert back to the rank of Corporal at port of destination. He disembarked from Wyremma at Cape Town on 21st November, 1918 to await continuation of the voyage to England. He re-embarked on Berwick Castle on 28th December, 1918 for England from Cape Town & disembarked at Devonport, England on 29th January, 1919.
On 29th January, 1919 Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Sidney Whitta Thornton was marched in to Australian Pay Corps in London from Australia.
He was detached to Audit Section for duty on 3rd February, 1919. Corporal (Acting Sergeant) Sidney Whitta Thornton was to retain the rank of Acting Sergeant whilst acting as Red Cross Representative (Audit).
Acting Sergeant Sidney Whitta Thornton was granted the relative honorary rank of Lieutenant in Australian Red Cross Society, but without addition pay or allowances from 23rd July, 1919.
Honorary Lieutenant Sidney Whitta Thornton died on 19th November, 1919 at Longwall Cottage, Longwall Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England from Pleurisy & Pneumonia. His brother – F. Oliver Thornton was present at the death.
Lieutenant MacMillian, Graves Registration Branch, 6th Floor, Victorian Govt. Buildings, Melbourne Place, Strand was advised by letter on 22nd November, 1919 by Major J. A. Neale, Officer i/c Records the following regarding Hon. Lieut S. W. Thornton, Australian Red Cross Society: “The above named deceased Officer died at Longwall Cottage, Longwall Street, Oxford of the 29th instant. Before his death he requested that his remains should be handed to the Department of Human Anatomy, Oxford University. The Official there has been interviewed and advises that the remains will not be available for burial until about the latter end of March next.
Arrangements have been made with Mr Montgomery, Deputy Town Clerk, Oxford for the remains to be then interred in the soldiers portion of the Botley Cemetery. A cross to be erected over the grave was left by S/Sgt Rook with the Cemetery Authorities, who have promised to erect it when burial has taken place.”
He was buried on 8th April, 1920 in Botley Cemetery, Botley, Oxfordshire, England and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/botley.html
Click images to start slideshow.