Hello from sunny Sussex. As you can see I am new to this forum but have been researching soldiers who fought in the Great War for a number of years. My father was a wireless operator in Lancasters during the war so I've always had an interest. I do however have a problem which I'm hoping someone on here will be able to help me with. In my old school magazine dated March 1944 is the following citation: "P Thorns, Pilot Officer, RAFVR, killed on active service." He is also listed in a Roll of Honour which appeared in the June 1946 issue of the magazine under the section 'Killed or died on active service' (as opposed to the section 'Killed in action by enemy action'). I have managed to find out that his name was Peter Thorns son of Harold and Nina Thorns of 115 Herne Hill, London and that he was born in either late 1920 or early 1921. That's where the trail goes cold..... I can find no record of his being commissioned and he is not on the CWGC site. Nothing in the London Gazette either As I am not that experience with the resoucres available World War II, I wondered if someone could give me an idea where to look next. Is there the equivalent of the medals roll as for the Great War or the Soldiers Killed list? I did have one thought as to why he's not on the CWGC. Would it be that if he was killed by enemy action whilst stationed over here (like an air raid) that he wouldn't qualify? This is driving me nuts! I've never had anyone vanish so completely from my research on the Great War. Hopefully I'm just looking in the wrong places. Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me. Cheers, Mark
Either he wasn't killed (not the first time a scholl magazine has got it wrong), or he wasn't British/Commonwealth citizen. Can find no casualty fitting the name in the Times or Flight magazine. What is the name of the school?
Many thanks for checking this for me. The school is Alleyn's School in Dulwich, London. I'm pretty sure he would have been a British citizen, both of his parents were born in Epsom. I've checked and there is no post-war death certificate on file for that name nor any telephone directory records. I did wonder if he served under a different name but dismissed that idea as someone must have been informed at one point for the magazine to get wind of it. There is a record in the London Gazette of a Peter Carl Thorns who was in the RAF. The links are below. The problem is that my Peter Thorns didn't have a middle name! Gazette Website: PDF Navigator Gazette Website: PDF Navigator Gazette Website: PDF Navigator Gazette Website: PDF Navigator Even if the middle name thing is wrong I cannot understand why his rank jumps about so much from Corporal in 1942, Flight Lieutentant in 1949, Flying Officer in 1951 and back to Flight Lieutenant in 1954. If it is him it would mean that his death was reported wrongly, but surely I'd be able to find something about him post-war. Again, thanks for taking time to help me. Mark
I can answer the easy part - his ranks fron Coporal to F/L, upto 1949, would have been wartime promotions. The reason he dropped back to F/O is due to the postwar cuts and restructuring of the RAF. He was lucky to drop only one rank. Some F/Os dropped to Sergeant level!
BTW does the school have a Roll of Honour Memorial? Does he actually appear on there, rather than just in the magazine?
The school has a large roll of honour but I don't know if he appears or not, it's founder's day this weekend so I'll drive up there (for the first time since I left in 1984) and make sure I check it out. Here is the link to the work that's been done on the Honours Board so far but it mainly concentrates on the Great War. School Honours Boards - Edward Alleyn Club Mark
Hi Mark ! I wonder if he could be named on any of these war memorials ? War Memorial, Dulwich:: OS grid TQ3372 :: Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square! Are there any more that you know of ?? churches etc close to where you think he lived ? Annie
Hi and welcome, Mark. You've got a curly one there. When you get a chance, would you mind posting about your Dad, please?
Thanks Annie, as far as I know the only memorials in the area are those at the school chapel and he isn't on them. I have also been informed that he isn't on the main roll of honour board at the back of the Great Hall in the school but I will verify this myself next weekend (you can see a photo of this board here http://www.edwardalleynclub.com/en/SchoolHonoursBoard/ ). Yet he was mentioned in both the March 1944 and the June 1946 editions of the magazine. I just can't get my head around it how he could have vanished. Thanks for all you help so far. Mark
I have also looked at the RAF POW lists for both Europe and the Far East and he doesn't appear. I would say that he may have been injured and his name added by accident, but his non-appearance in the LG is a mystery if he was a PO
I'm sure you've seen this already but the only P Thorns I can find is "Percy " ! - and the date is a year off !! .... are you sure it's Peter ? also many Honour Rolls include the men who served ... not just died ! ( I know this because I was tearing my hair out looking for some of mine ! hwell: ) In Memory of Sergeant PERCY FREDERICK THORNS 1891155, 18 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 20 on 23 February 1945 Son of Mrs. F. E. Thorns of Morden, Surrey. Remembered with honour ANCONA WAR CEMETERY
Sorry for sounding stupid but what's the LG? Annie, He was definately Peter; the school records give the address which matches that of one Harold Thorns and I've found the record of his marriage in 1918 to nina Manly. There is a subsequent record of a Peter Thorns whose birth was registered in Jan, Feb, March 1920 with the mother's maiden name given as Manly. This was registered in Epsom which is where Harold Thorns appeared on the electoral register at the time so I don't doubt that it's the same person. Does anyone know if there is a definative record of commissions issued in the RAF because I can't even find a record on him enlisting? Cheers Mark
Hi Mark ! Did you get to go ? I'm really hoping you were able to take photos of the Honour Roll ... I for one would love to see them !! Annie
Hi Mark and welcome to the forum I do hope you have a great time on this site .I certainly have Cheers AJ
