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| Pte John Henry Horner |
East Lancashire Regiment,
Killed in action
16th July 1916
Age 35
Commemorated Thiepval Memorial.
John Henry Horner was born in Haslingden in 1881. He was the son of William and Ellen Horner of 69, Haslingden Road, Acre. In 1901 John Henry was living at 10, Stonefold with his widowed mother, brother Ernest and sisters Rhoda, Marion and Mabel, his father having died in September 1893. At this time he was working as a cardroom hand in one of the local cotton mills. On 15 August 1905, he married Rosalie Eastwood at Deardengate Independent Chapel, Haslingden. John and Rosalie had two daughters, Olive born in 1907 and Ivy born in 1910. Prior to the outbreak of war, John Henry was a stripper and grinder at Robinson’s Mill. He enlisted on 14 October 1914 and went to France on 1 August 1915. He attended the Haslingden Congregational Church, and was over on furlough from 23 to 28 May 1916 when he attended the Sunday School anniversary sermons there. He was killed in action in France on 16 July 1916. He was 35 years of age and left his widow, Rosalie and two daughters, residing at 270, Helmshore Road, Haslingden. John Henry Horner is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, France.
"On 15 July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the 8th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment received orders to attack the village of Pozieres at 8 am on the 16th. After an hour's preliminary bombardment by the artillery they were to advance and capture the village and dig themselves in on the other side. The distance was approximately 1,700 yards (one mile) over heavily shelled ground.
As they advanced, the Battalion suddenly came under heavy machine gun and shellfire, "men dropped down like nine-pins". A second attempt to advance was also met by devastating fire and the remaining men dug themselves in until relieved at 2.30 am the next morning.
The attack was a total failure. Fifty-seven men were killed, 283 were wounded and 33 were missing. Pte. Horner's body was never found". From – Bill Turner’s Book.
Newspaper Report:
Private J.H. Horner, of the East Lancashire Regiment, has been officially reported killed in France on July 16th. He was 35 years of age, and leaves a widow and two children, residing at 270 Helmshore Road, and with whom there is general sympathy in their bereavement. The deceased was a stripper and grinder at Robinson's Mill, and enlisted on October 14th, 1914. He went to France in August of last year. He attended the Haslingden Congregational Church, and was over on furlough on the occasion of the anniversary sermons.
