| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Tom Hordon was born in Beverley on 1 Apr 1894, one of four children born to John Charles and Jane Hall Hordon, both of Beverley. John was an agricultural worker by 1911 he was a shepherd, he later worked as a general labourer. The family home was at 18 Walkergate and Tom’s mother was a shopkeeper. Tom worked as a shop assistant in a painter’s and wall hanger’s shop in Beverley but by 1912 was working as a tanner’s labourer.
Tom joined the Territorial Army on 17 Jan 1912 and served in the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, The Green Howards, though they were often referred to as the “Beverley Terriers”. Tom was called up for service the day before the outbreak of war on 3 Aug 1914 but as was his right he did not elect to serve abroad until the summer of 1916, arriving in France on 5 Aug 1916. He was to spend the rest of the war with the Yorkshires, initially in the 5th, then in the 10th Battalion and then the 9th and 2nd towards the end of the war. Tom’s military documents. He was awarded the War and Victory Medals. At the end of the war Tom stayed on for an additional period of service but having suffered accidental wounds to his left arm he was discharged from the Army on 31 May 1919, considered unfit for further service. He was awarded a Silver Badge. However he remained in the part-time TA until 1934.
Tom returned to Beverley and worked as a tanner’s labourer. On 5 Jun 1920 at St James’ Church, Scarborough he married Phoebe Magson, born in the town in 1898, the daughter of a fireman at the gas works. They lived at 182 Holme Church Lane, Beverley. Tom died in 1972 and was buried in Queensgate Cemetery on the 15 March 1972 aged 78.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |