Trafford

Born - 24th April 1897, the eldest son of James Underwood & Annie Thornton
(nee Suggett).

1901 Census - Barkers Lane, Ashton Upon Mersey.   Son (listed as Frederick
O Thornton) - aged: 3 - born: Ashton on Mersey.   Head of household Annie
Thornton - Wife - aged: 30 - born: Kings Lynn, Norfolk.   Plus 1 younger
sibling.    No trace of his father.

1911 Census - 63 Washway Road, Sale.    Son (listed as Frederick William
Thornton ???) - aged: 13 - Scholar - born: Ashton on Mersey.     Head of
household - James Underwood Thornton - Married - aged: 44 - occ: Commercial
Traveller - born: London.   Also Annie Thornton - Wife - aged: 40 - occ:
Tobacconist & Confectioner - born: Kings Lynn, Norfolk.    Plus - 2 younger
siblings and 2 female shop assistants.

His father - James Underwood Thornton is listed in the 1916 Directory as a
tobacconist at 13 School Rd and 63 Washway Rd, Sale, whilst his wife Annie
is listed as a tobacconist at 63 Washway Rd, New Chester, Sale.   New
Chester is that tiny hamlet at the junction of Marsland and Washway Roads,
Sale.

He was an active member of the Sale Boy Scouts and was employed as an
Apprentice Mechanical Engineer at George Richards at their Atlantic Works,
Broadheath from August 1913 to June 1917.   He was a student at the Royal
Institute of Technology, Salford, from August 1913 to May 1917 and won 2nd
prize - Silver Award of the City & Guilds Institute for Mechanical
Engineering. 

He was sent to Farnborough on the 11th June 1917, then to Winchester on the
4th July 1917 and onwards to Oxford on the 24th August 1917.   He was
appointed 2nd Lieutenant on the 11th October 1917.   From Oxford, he was
drafted to 47 Training Sqn at Waddington on the 23rd November 1917 and from
there drafted to 58 Sqn at Cramlington.

From 58 Sqn he went back to Waddington on the 20th January 1918, to the
newly formed 75 Training Sqn (formed out of 47 TS), where he was appointed
Flying Officer on the 20th January 1918..   From there he was posted to No.
4 Auxiliary School of Aerial Gunnery at Marske, Yorkshire on the 30th April
1918 and finally onto 57 Sqn on the 18th June 1918..

At the time of his death, he was engaged on aerial postal service and was
flying from Cologne to Namur, when in the mist his machine hit trees on top
of a hill at La Reid.   Both he and a fellow officer were killed.    He was
buried at Spa on the 8th March 1919.

Commemorated on the 1st Brooklands Boy Scout Hut War Memorial at Walton
Park, Sale.