Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Dudley Edwin Thornton,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, ERD (1 May 1919 – 22 April 2009) was a British soldier, who commanded the 18th Battalion of the King's African Rifles during the

Burma Campaign The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...

, and was chairman of the Welch Regiment Museum, in Cardiff, from 1974 until his death.

Biography

Dudley Edwin Thornton was born in

Reigate Reigate ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town in Surrey, England, around south of central London. The settlement is recorded in Domesday Book of 1086 as ''Cherchefelle'', and first appears with its modern name in the 1190s. The ea ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, on 1 May 1919. His father was Edwin Dudley (1865–1951), an

electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

, and his mother was Dorothy Rebecca Bryer (1894–1973). Thornton was educated, and brought up, in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

. Shortly before the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Thornton joined the Supplementary Reserve and was commissioned into the

Welch Regiment The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment line infantry, of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the am ...

as a second lieutenant. For the first few years of the war, Thornton served in the anti-invasion forces, on the south coast. In 1943, he was sent to East

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

to join the 18th Battalion of the King's African Rifles. He spent the remainder of the war taking part in the Burma Campaign. When the War ended, he returned to serving with the Welch Regiment overseas, in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

and

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

, before becoming the last Commanding Officer of the regimental depot in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

and then Deputy Commander of the Welsh Brigade at Cwrt-y-Gollen, near

Crickhowell Crickhowell (; , non-standard spelling ') is a town and community (Wales), community in southeastern Powys, Wales, near Abergavenny, and is in the historic counties of Wales, historic county of Brecknockshire. Location The town lies on th ...

. He was appointed a

for his special contribution to the Malawi Army. He greatly enjoyed being back with soldiers he had fought with 20 years earlier, and commanded the army between 1965 and 1967. At the time, colonial rule had just ended, and Dr

Hastings Banda Hastings Kamuzu Banda ( – 25 November 1997) was a Malawian politician and statesman who served as the leader of Malawi from 1964 to 1994. He served as Prime Minister of Malawi, Prime Minister from independence in 1964 to 1966, when Malawi was ...

had become the country's first president. His interest in military history was also put to good use in designing many of the emblems for the new republic. He went on to other overseas postings in Europe and the Far East before retiring in 1974 to live in Burton Lazars, Leicestershire, with his wife. Throughout his life he had a strong interest in military history and assembled a small collection of medals, badges and other militaria. He never really parted company with his regiment as almost immediately on retiring from the regular army he became a trustee and chairman of the Welch Regiment Museum in Cardiff Castle and remained deeply involved with it right up to the time of his death on 22 April 2009, 9 days before his 90th birthday.

Personal life

Thornton married Elizabeth Joan England (1917–2010) in 1940. They had 3 children. Joan was a daughter of Captain John Humphrey England, and a granddaughter of

Edward England Edward England (–1721) was an Irish pirate. The ships he sailed on included the ''Pearl'' (which he renamed ''The Royal James'') and later the ''Fancy'', for which England exchanged the ''Pearl'' in 1720. His flag was the classic Jolly Rog ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornton, Colonel Dudley 1919 births 2009 deaths British Militia officers British Army colonels Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Welch Regiment officers King's African Rifles officers British Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from Surrey Burials in Leicestershire