Thorburn W Sergt 101388 Army Service Corps Attd Motor Machine Gun Service
THORBURN, WILLIAM, Sergt.-Artificer, A.S.C., No. M./2, 101388, attd. to the 11th Battery, Motor Machine Gun Service, eldest s. of William Thorburn, of 110, Second Avenue, Clydebank, Linotype Operator, by his wife, Jessie Symington, 3rd dau. of the late Alexander Briton, Boot and Shoe Maker, Queen Street and Shawlands, Glasgow; b. Glasgow, 27 May, 1894; educ. at Dalmuir Public School, Clydebank; was employed by the Singer Manufacturing Company, Kilbowie, as an Engineer; enlisted 18 Nov. 1914; was promoted Corpl. and transferred to the Active Service Corps on Saturday, 29 May, 1915, being attd. to the 11th Battery, Motor Machine Guns, as Mechanic, and went to France on 7 July, 1915. He was employed at the time of his death in a blacksmith’s shop constructing an iron covering to bring a cycle and machine gun into action under cover, when one of the battery accidentally discharged a loaded revolver at 8 a.m. on Saturday, 7 Aug. 1915. The bullet entered his throat and travelled to his back and down the spine, and two and three-quarter hours later he died in hospital. He was buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, just outside Bethune; unm.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1