Biography

Family background

John Henry Thurwell (later sometimes written as Thurlwell) was born on the 1st October 1901 and was baptised on the 1st January 1902 in Wetherby. His parents were Edward (sometimes Joseph Edward) and Fanny Thurwell (nee Dunk). Ten years later, at the time of the 1911 census, the family were at Hills Yard, Wetherby. John Henry left home to start work sometime in the next 10 years, and in 1921 we think he was working as a groom for Robert John Foster at Stockeld Park, Wetherby. At that time he was boarding with th Tomlinson family at Micklethwaite.

John Henry Thurwell appears on the Electoral Roll for Micklethwaite from 1924 to 1927, and after that we find him on the electoral roll in Collingham where he lived for the next ~40 years. Initially he lived at Riders Place, Collingham, before moving (around 1933) to 6 Brookside, Collingham. Electoral rolls show him at this address until at least 1961.

John Henry Thurwell married May Thompson on the 6th August 1928 in Collingham Church.

At the otbreak of World War 2, John, May and their daughter registered in The National Registration at 6 Brookside, where John gave his occupation as a master window cleaner.

Service record

John Henry Thurwell enlisted on the 7th May 1942 into the Royal Artillery with the service number 11422284.

John started his service with 209 Heavy (Mixed) Anti-aircraft training Regiment (209 H (M) AA Trg Reg). The shortage of men at this stage of th war had led to a re-examination of the roles of women in the services and it had been decided that women could not take part in fighting, but could play important roles in anti-aircraft artillery for example in calculating gun settings, driving maintenance and general support. Mixed regiments of anti-aircraft artillery were therefore formed. 209 H (M) AA Trg regiment were based at Blandford in Dorset.

After training John was posted to 546 H (M) Anti-aircraft battery. This battery was part of 162 Heavy Anti-Aircraft regiment Royal Artillery (162 HAA). This regiment was part of the anti-aircraft defences of the important naval base at Plymouth. 162(M) HAA was formed at Fort Austin, Plymouth in June 1942 and so John was probably posted to the unit as it formed. John spent the next few years with this same unit. Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments were typically formed of three Batteries, each of eight guns and were armed with the standard 3.7 inch QF3.7 anti-aircraft gun.

After D-Day in 1944 and the advances of the Allied Armies into France and Belgium the need for AA defences around Plymouth changed and John was posted to a new unit on the 21st March 1945 - 618 Battery, part of 185(M) HAA. This was another anti-aircraft unit based on the South Coast. In June 1945, 185(M) HAA were disbanded at Patcham near Brighton and John then changed units again (15th June 1945) to 144(M) HAA, part of the air defences of Eastern England, serving with 504(M) and 503(M) Batteries of this Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment.

John's service had until this point been all in the UK, but after the war the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was formed and units were sent to Europe. On the 26th September 1945, John was posted to No. 16 Holding Unit in preparation for his posting overseas and then on the continent he joined 79 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

John's service was almost over. He was posted to the reserve in January 1946 and returned to the UK.

After the war

After the war, John Henry Thurwell returned to live in Collingham and he appeared on the electoral rolls at 6 Brookside until at last 1961. He died in 1978.

Biography last updated 23 September 2025 12:35:06.