Sydney Herbert Horton [h.1.7.3.3]

Sydney Herbert Horton was the third child of Richard Horton & Martha Elizabeth Stone born October 27th, 1885 at West Bromwich.

By 1891 Sydney was living at 232-234 High St, West Bromwich where his father was a grocer. Sydney had 4 brothers & a sister. Sydney attended Christ Church School, West Bromwich.

In 1901 the family were living at 37 New St, West Bromwich & Sydney was working as a junior clerk. There were 3 brothers & a sister still at home.

Soon after the 1911 census Sydney joined the Staffordshire Yeomanry & went to Australia at the age of 28.

Sydney's involvement in WW1 is chronicled on the website of the National Archives of Australia, some of which follows. Sydney applied for active service in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1916 & enlisted on April 3rd, 1916. His postal address at that time was given as Boronia, Francis St, Artarmon (north west Sydney). In his application he was described as a commercial traveller & stated that he had been in the Staffordshire Yeomanry for 3 years & 6 months. His physical description was given as height 5ft 6¾ins with blue eyes & brown hair. Sydney, a member of the 35th Battalion of the Australian Infantry, embarked from Sydney, NSW on board HMAT ‘Port Sydney' on September 4th, 1916 & arrived in Plymouth on October 29th, 1916.

Sydney married Rose Anna Wakeman on December 25th, 1916 at the Parish Church of Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. Witnesses at the wedding were Henry Wakeman (Rose’s uncle), Janet Wakeman (Rose’s sister), Martha Elizabeth & Richard Horton (Sydney’s parents). Rose was born Oct-December 1888 at Wribbenhall (now part of Bewdley), Worcs. Rose’s father, John Wakeman, was a market gardener & the family lived at Spring Grove Farm, Kidderminster, now a safari park!

Sydney's marriage certificate

Sydney's army records show that he was severely reprimanded for being absent without leave from midnight on December 25th until 7pm on December 27th . His penalty for some extra time with his new bride was to forfeit 1 days pay! Sydney was again reprimanded for being late on parade at 8.30am in January 1917!

In February 1917 he was posted to France, & returned to England in July 1917. He returned to action in France in December 1917. In the spring of 1918 the 35 th Battalion were deployed in the defence of the approaches to Amiens. Sydney was appointed Lance Sergeant on April 12th, 1918. Just six days later he received a fatal shell wound to the abdomen, & died at the Casualty Clearing Station, Picquigny on April 19th, 1918, aged 32. He was buried at the British Military Cemetery at Picquigny, Amiens, France. Sydney was awarded the British War Medal & the Victory Medal.

Sydney's grave in Picquigny cemetery

Rose lived at Bransley Villa, Cleobury Mortimer until she died. Brother-in-law Oscar kept in contact with Rose & used to visit her there.

Rose died on June 28th, 1950, the cause of death being stomach cancer.