Prescot Roll of Honour

Service Details

William, who previously served as Private 3728, South Lancashire Regiment, was the first cousin of Private William Henry Hornby, also of the Machine Gun Corps. He was also the nephew of Private William Hornby of the Manchester Regiment.

At the outset of war, each Battalion, such as the 5th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment, would have had a 'second line' battalion, formed to provide reinforcements and replacements. This battalion would have been designated, for example, the 2nd/5th Battalion.

However, by 1915, the ever-increasing demand for men led to these 'second line' units becoming field units. As a consequence, a 'third line' was formed to train reinforcements and also to act as a depot for personnel evacuated sick and wounded from the front after their discharge from hospital.

To implement this scheme, the 3rd/5th Battalion was raised. Few records have survived for these third line units, although owing to the heavy losses sustained on the Western Front by the parent units in 1915 and 1916 man hundreds of officers and men were simply trained and dispatched to France to fill the gaps

William Hornby attested as Private 3728 to the 3rd/5th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment on 10th May 1915 in St. Helens. At the time, he lived at 49, Houghton Street, Prescot. He was aged 19 years 180 days, worked as a Wire Drawer and stood 5 foot 6 inches in height. His eyesight and physical development were both recorded as 'Good' and he was passed as fit for military service.

He remained in training with the Battalion until 2nd September 1915. The battalion then entrained for Southampton and on the same day embarked for France, arriving at Rouen the following day.

Private Hornby served with the battalion until 27th November 1916 when he was transferred to the No 6 Company, Machine Gun Corps. He was granted leave on 12th December until 22nd December 1916, and was back serving in the field with his company until he had a short period in a rest camp from 6th August 1917 to 21st August 1917.

On 30th November 1917, whilst serving with 166 Company, he was posted Missing in Action. In November 1917, his unit were involved in the Battle of Cambrai. Sir Douglas Haig described the object of the Cambrai operations as the gaining of a 'local success by a sudden attack at a point where the enemy did not expect it' and to some extent they succeeded. The proposed method of assault was new, with no preliminary artillery bombardment. Instead, tanks would be used to break through the German wire, with the infantry following under the cover of smoke barrages. The attack began early in the morning of 20 November 1917 and initial advances were remarkable. However, by 22 November, a halt was called for rest and reorganisation, allowing the Germans to reinforce. From 23 to 28 November, the fighting was concentrated almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29 November, it was clear that the Germans were ready for a major counter attack. During the fierce fighting of the next five days, much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was lost. In this fighting, Private Hornby was reported as Missing in Action on 30th November.

For the Allies, the results of the battle were ultimately disappointing but valuable lessons were learnt about new strategies and tactical approaches to fighting. The Germans had also discovered that their fixed lines of defence, no matter how well prepared, were vulnerable.

In March 1917, the War Office wrote to the Army Records Office stating that any personal possessions of Private Hornby were to be returned to the Houghton Street address. It was 16th September 1918 before William Hornby was deemed, for official purposes, to have died on or since 30th November 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial in Louveral, France.

His aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth A Hornby, acknowledged receipt of her late nephew's British War Medal and Victory Medal on April 18th 1922, and his 1914-1915 Star on an undetermined date.



The Parish Magazine reported on 28th December 1918 'Five more names for our Roll of Honour' and included 'Pte. William Hornby, 20, 5th S. Lancs. Killed in action 30th November 1917, of 47, Houghton Street'

An extract from William Hornby's service record.

William Hornby's Medal Index Card shows his previous service with the South Lancashire Regiment, with whom he first arrived in France on 3rd March 1915. This entitled him to the 1914-1915 Star in addition to his British War Medal and Victory Medal.

William Hornby's inscription on the Cambrai Memorial.