Horace White

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Horace died on 20th of July 1916 at the age of 30.  

Note: Horace also used the first name Henry. Also, in some pre-WW1 records, he is shown as Horace Hornigold. 

Horace was born at Lewisham, Kent, in late 1885, a son of Jane White. In 1890 his mother married Robert Hardy Hornigold, and for a time, Horace used the surname Hornigold. In 1891 his family lived at Cyprus Cottage, 4 Cyprus Terrace, Wallington, Croydon. Surrey. In 1901 his family lived at 8 Dibbens Cottages, London Road, Beddington. 

On 11 April 1909 Horace married Maud Mary Ann Day at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Horace was a labourer, living at Beddington, Surrey, and Maud lived at Whapload Road. In 1911 they lived at 2 Albert Villas, Percy Road, Beddington, and Horace was a labourer at Croydon Corporation Sewerage Works. By 1913 they were living at Lowestoft. 

In 1919 Maud lived at 14 Beckham Road and she married James Jowsey. At some point she lived at 26 Silver Street, London Road, Peterborough, and later at 96 Long West Gate, Scarborough.

Horace volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 12656. He arrived in France on 17 February 1915 to join the 2nd Battalion. Around February 1916 he was wounded, and his name appears in the War Office Daily (Casualty) List 16 March 1916.  

Colonel Murphy’s ‘The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927’ has the following account of the 2nd Battalion’s attack at Longueval 20 July 1916:

It was still dark when the artillery bombardment lifted and the advance began. The two Suffolk companies in the forward line marched in double lines of platoons with a front of 140 yards each. Much bitter fighting followed, which, although indecisive locally enabled a footing to be gained in High Wood by the 33rd Division. 

The battalion’s losses were:
Officers: four killed, two wounded, six missing
Other ranks: 108 killed – with an unrecorded number wounded and missing.

Horace was reported as wounded and missing on 20 July. Maud was notified, in October 1916, that he had died, and it was determined that he had died of wounds on, or since, 20 July 1916.