Just further to my original post if you come across any Durham Light Infantry Photograph drop me a line named ..excellent..un-named still of interest if its Durham Light Infantry related lets have it scanned and posted.
Would love a better photograph of the following person who I have just featured on my site .
4449902 Pte Thomas Richard Thornthwaite served with both the 1st and 2nd Durham L.I
Thomas Thornthwaite was born in June 1916 in Gateshead but moved to Jesmond after his mother died, as his father worked at Vickers Armstrong. After he left school, Thomas worked as a butcher’s boy and other jobs until he decided in January 1933 tojoin the Regular Army.
After basic training at the DLI’s Depot at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle upon Tyne, 4449902 Thomas Thornthwaite was posted to the 1st Battalion DLI at Catterick. In February 1935, he was sent as part of a draft to join the 2nd Battalion DLI in India. After service in the Sudan, he joined 1 DLI in 1937 and sailed for China.During his time in China he was stationed in Shanghai ,Tientsin and Peking as part of `D` Company 1st Durham Light Infantry.
When the Second World War began, 1 DLI moved from Tientsin to Hong Kong and then in January 1940 to Egypt. Thomas Thornthwaite served with the battalion in Egypt and Syria, seeing action against the Vichy French,thoughout Wavells Desert Campaign and then in October 1941 moved to Tobruk.
After serving with 1st DLI on Malta, Thomas Thornthwaite was sent home to England in late 1943 as he had been overseas since 1935. He then was posted to the DLI’s Depot at Brancepeth. In early 1944, Thomas Thornthwaite was posted to the 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, then training for D-Day. He landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944 and was wounded by a mortar bomb blast near Tilly sur Seulles. In 1946, Thomas Thornthwaite was demobilised from the Army and was granted a pension. Thomas Thornthwaite lived in 86 Southview, West Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 2BQ.He died in 2008
Best Wishes
Jim