Dawlish World War One Project

William John Horn was working as a passenger porter for the GWR when he was called up and joined the Royal Navy for the Duration of Hostilities on 16 July 1917, aged 18.

There is a very brief Service Record sheet. He joined H.M.S.VIVID (The Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport) on 16 July 1917 for training until 12 November.

From 13 November to 20 November he was serving aboard H.M.S.CENTURION, A King George V-class Dreadnought battleship, built in Devonport Dockyard in 1911/12.

William John Horn was returned to barracks on 21 November where he stayed until 23 January 1918 when he was discharged with rheumatic fever.

His parents were clearly proud of his service and the grave in St Mary’s Churchyard, Cofton, refers to him ‘late of H.M.S.CENTURION’.

He died on 12 April 1921 (GRO ref 1921, Q2, Exeter, vol 5b, p 80). The death certificate shopws that he died of Tuberculous Meningitis and Mitral Regurgitation which is a weak heart valve allowing the blood to flow both ways. He was a naval pensioner and a railway porter.

William J Horn/Horne was the younger son of John and Eliza Horn. John Horn was born in Exbourne and married Eliza Davey of similar age from Sampford Courtenay, Devon. They had seven children all of whom survived at the 1911 census. They were:

Maude dau 1887- born Bow, Devon

George son 1889-1917 Jacobstowe, Cornwall

Mabel dau 1890- “

Annie dau 1892- “

Alice dau 1895- Thorverton

Ada M dau 1897- “

William John son 1899-1921 “

John and Eliza Horn lived at Sand Park, Cottage No 1, Jacobstowe in 1891 with the first three children. They moved to Raddon, Thorverton and were there in 1901 with four more children, and to Chiverstone Cottage, Kenton by 1911 where the only children still at home were the youngest, Ada and William. Their father was a ‘Horseman on farm’.