Photo: Brian Chandler
13605 Guardsman
G. R. Thorburn
Coldstream Guards
28 February 1921
Thy will be done
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Robert Thorburn, registered at birth surname Myers, had a full blood sister, 4 half siblings from his mother’s first marriage and 2 from her second. His mother Elizabeth Ann Greenwood born in 1866 at Sheephill, Burnopfield, County Durham, in 1881 was an unemployed domestic servant living with her widowed mother Margaret and 4 younger siblings at 47, Cottage, West Denton, a suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Later that year she was married in the district of Hexham, Northumberland to Thomas Myers of Ovingham, Northumberland, born 1859.
By 1891 she was a widow with four children, Mary born 1882 at Stocksfield, Edward 1884, James 1886 at Mickley and Thomasina at Scotswood, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1890, living at 23, Dean Terrace, Benwell, Newcastle, as her husband Thomas had died in 1889 whilst she was carrying their youngest child, he was only 30 years of age.
Over the next 3 years she had a further 2 children, both registered at birth under the surname Myers, Elizabeth Jane and George Robert, born 1892 and 1894 respectively at Scotswood, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Elizabeth Ann married for a second time in 1897 to John Thorburn born 1860 at Winlaton, Blaydon, County Durham, with whom she had a daughter Sarah in 1899.
They had moved to Denton Burn, Newburn by 1901 and in the census the Myers children who were still living at home are listed as his step children but George Robert is listed as Thorburn. John was employed as a coal miner/hewer at the colliery, Edward (17) and his brother James Myers (15) as a putter and pony driver respectively, the younger children remained at home with their mother. With the birth of John Thorburn Jnr in 1905 their family was complete and living in 3 rooms at West Avenue, Westerhope, Northumberland, consisting of 10 persons as Thomasina (21), who had married in 1909, had returned to the family home with her husband, coal miner, Robert Jones (23) and their 2 children Thomas Jones (1) and Elizabeth (under 1 month). John Thorburn and George Robert (16) also worked at the colliery.
When war was declared, August 4th 1914, George Robert enlisted under the surname Thorburn, November 13th 1914 and underwent training in England before being assigned as Guardsman 13605 to the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. The main body of men had departed August 13th 1914 landing at Le Havre as part of the 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Division. Guardsman Thorburn departed to France, August 15th 1915, joining his regiment in the field which was transferred, at Lumbers, near St. Omer, August 20th, to the 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division, a new formation approved by His Majesty The King.
The Guards Division participated during the Battle of Loos, September 26th-October 8th, and Hohenzollern Redoubt, October 18th-19th. During the Battles of the Somme in 1916 they saw major action at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, September 15th-22nd, Morval, September 25th-28th during which they captured Lesboeufs. July 31st 1917 saw the commencement of the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium where they fought on the opening day at Pilckem Ridge until August 2nd, during the Battle of Poelcappelle, October 9th and the First Battle of Passchendaele, October 12th, before returning to France, in action during the Battle of Cambrai, November 24th-December 3rd 1917. The Division spent 1918 on the Western Front during the First Battles of the Somme and the Hindenburg Line until the Final Advance to Victory on the Selle and Sambre, concluding with the Armistice, November 11th 1918.
The Guards Division was near Maubeuge and marched into Germany on December 11th reaching Cologne by the 19th. Units of the Guards Division began returning to England, February 20th 1919, however, those who presented symptoms of serious illness were repatriated sooner.
It is unknown in the absence of a service history exactly when Guardsman Thorburn returned to the United Kingdom, he was discharged in England, February 6th 1919, having been diagnosed as suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, silver badge number 463853, awards 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Ex-Guardsman 13605 George Robert Thorburn Coldstream Guards succumbed to his illness, February 24th 1921 and was considered a casualty of war. He was buried with military honours within Lemington Cemetery, Northumberland, and is at rest grave III. U. 1965, he was 26 years of age and single. John Thorburn of 44, West Avenue, Westerhope, Northumberland, commissioned at a cost of 3 shilling 9 pence an additional inscription to be added to George’s military headstone, it reads, “Thy Will Be Done,” as within 4 months his mother Elizabeth Ann Thorburn-Myers nee Greenwood had also died aged 55 years, district of Castle Ward, Northumberland.
Whilst Edward and James Myers would also have been eligible to serve no records have been found.
John Thorburn died in 1941 registered at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland,
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Thorburn is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
