L-13921 Bdr Herbert Hornby MM, 32nd (Hull) Divisional Ammunition Column
Herbert Hornby was born circa 1892. He married Annie Hornby (née Lawin(?)) on 1 November 1913 at St Charles' Church, Hull. By 1915 he lived at 17 Tunis Street, Nicholson Street, Hull. The couple had two children, Herbert born in 1913 and William, born in March 1916. Herbert Senior was either (depending upon which source is consulted) a Rullyman (carter) or carting agent in civilian life, and enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery as a Driver on 1 April 1915, at the Central Hull Recruiting Office under the regimental number L/13921 ('L' standing for local enlistment - the RFA equivalent of a 'Pals' unit). He was aged 23 years and 6 months on enlistment and was posted to his unit, the 38th (later 31st and then 32nd) (Hull) Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery (Hull Divisional Ammunition Column) the following day. This ammunition column was originally part of 31st Division (formerly 38th Division), and was raised principally from members of the City Police Force and Tramways, under the command of Lt Col. James Walker. Dvr Hornby was promoted to Bombardier on 10 August 1915.
Bdr Hornby is recorded as having proceeded to France on 30 December 1915. 31st Divisional Ammunition Column (as it then was) embarked from Southampton on 29 December 1915 and disembarked at Le Havre on 30 December, joining the 32nd Division at Argoeuves the next day, in a swap with the Lancashire-raised 32nd DAC, which went instead to Egypt with the 31st Division. He enjoyed a week's leave to the UK 7-15 May 1916. At around this time the column would have been part of Fourth Army. On 10 July 1916, in the midst of a month's further leave to the UK under authority of AA&QMG Fourth Army a/104/125/d/-19.6.16, he was appointed Acting Corporal and confirmed in rank the same day. His service during 1916 would have encompassed The Battle of Albert,
The Battle of Bazentin, and
The Battle of the Ancre, all phases of the Battle of the Somme.
Operations in 1917 would have included Operations on the Ancre and The pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in the early part of the year. In May 1917 he was bereaved by the death of his youngest son William, aged 14 months.
Corporal Hornby's Military Medal was Gazetted in the London Gazette for 28 July 1917, covering awards for Messines, 7 June 1917 and Arras, May 1917. It was around this time that he was wounded in action but remained at duty, on 5 June 1917. The DAC War Diary records his award as being "for conspicuous work in the Messines battle". 13950 Gunner E Bacon and 14939 Sgt H Clinton also received Military Medals for the same cited reason. Sgt Clinton appears to have been awarded his MM for the same action as Bdr Hornby, whilst Gnr Bacon was cited for "assisting wounded under shell-fire whilst himself wounded". It appears that Hornby and Clinton's exploits were linked to that of 2/Lt P R Hamilton of No.1 Section, who was awarded the Military Cross "for gallantry performed while engaged on an ammunition dump run by this unit in connection with the Messines-Wytschaete Battle". The war diary notes that at this time the unit was attached to 36th Divisional Artillery. A short account of the exploit was published in the Hull Daily Mail for Thursday 16 August 1917, entitled 'GALLANT HULL MEN. DECORATIONS IN D.A.C.'. Speaking of 2/Lt Hamilton, it states that "Second-Lieut. Hamilton has been awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous good work and gallantry in the battle. When a truck containing gun ammunition was struck by enemy shell fire he, in spite of the shelling, assisted by two N.C.O.'s, derailed same and dragged the blazing boxes away, thereby averting a serious explosion. Sergeant H. Clinton and Corporal H. Hornby have been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous good work and gallantry in the Messines Battle when they assisted Second-Lieut Hamilton to derail a blazing truck of ammunition, and obtaining drag-ropes extracted the blazing boxes." Regimental Orders, as cited on his Army Form B.122 Regimental Conduct Sheet, indicate that he was with No.1 Section at this time.
Later, on 8 September 1917, Cpl Hornby was appointed Acting Sergeant and then promoted immediately to Sergeant. Again, this coincided with a period of UK leave, this time of ten days.
After the war's end he served with the British Army of the Rhine, terminated by admission to 44 Casualty Clearing Station and 7th General Hospital with V.D.G., culminating in his evacuation home per S.S. 'St. Andrews' on 31 March 1919.
After further stays in military hospitals in Cambridge between May and June 1919, he was subsequently posted to 19 (Reserve) Battery at Woolwich and demobilised via the Ripon Dispersal Centre by posting to the Army 'Z' Reserve on 13 July 1919, being formally discharged to demobilisation on 31 March 1920. By this time his address was 156 Fountain Road, Hull, Yorks. He acknowledged receipt of his Military Medal in March 1920, having expressed the preference not to have a public presentation, receiving his 1914-15 Star in May, and British War and Victory Medals in September.
