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Private George Horne
Description
TitlePrivate George HorneSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionGeorge was born at Southbridge on 1st June 1886, youngest son of Moncreiff Skene and Susannah Horne. His father died later that year which would explain why “much sympathy was felt for his brothers in their bereavement”. His mother had remarried. He was described as a wiry, good hearted young fellow who was very well known and had many friends. He was working for J. Adams at Southbridge before enlisting. He was 5ft 10in tall with a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark hair.
George enlisted 8 May 1915 and was assigned to C Company, 10th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion. He embarked for Suez on 4th March 1916 arriving 10 April 1916, but only three days later he re-embarked for France from Port Said arriving in Etaples 24 April. He joined the 2nd Battalion in the field on 23 May and whilst fighting with them on 25 September he suffered a gunshot wound to his side and thigh. He was evacuated to hospital at Rouen on 28th September and from there to England by ship on 3rd October. He was treated at Reading Hospital and then discharged to recuperate at Codford on 4 November. However it seems he was feeling well enough for a night on the town for he lost two days pay after going AWOL overnight on 22 November 1916. He was declared fit and marched into Sling Camp on 4th June 1917 from where he was sent to the front reaching Etaples on 25th. He joined the 12th Company, 2nd Battalion in the field and was killed in action on 28th November whilst the unit were holding the line near Ypres. He was buried in the field near where he fell but, even though co-ordinates were recorded, his body was not able to be found or identified after the war. His name is inscribed on the Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, Belgium. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Southbridge Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial and the Southbridge School Roll of Honour.
Polygon Wood (the "Polygone de Zonnebeke", or Polygoneveld)is a large wood south of the village of Zonnebeke which was completely devastated in the First World War. The wood was cleared by Commonwealth troops at the end of October 1914, given up on 3 May 1915, taken again at the end of September 1917 by Australian troops, evacuated in the Battles of the Lys, and finally retaken by the 9th (Scottish) Division on 28 September 1918. On the Butte itself is the Battle Memorial of the 5th Australian Division, who captured it on 26 September 1917. Polygon Wood Cemetery is an irregular front-line cemetery made between August 1917 and April 1918, and used again in September 1918. A walled avenue leads from Polygon Wood Cemetery, past the Cross of Sacrifice, to the Buttes New British Cemetery. This burial ground was made after the Armistice when a large number of graves (almost all of 1917, but in a few instances of 1914, 1916 and 1918) were brought in from the battlefields of Zonnebeke. The Buttes New British Cemetery Memorial, which stands in Buttes New British Cemetery, commemorates 378 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the Polygon Wood sector between September 1917 and May 1918, and who have no known grave. The majority died in the trenches, or in working and carrying, and the conditions in the Salient during the winter of 1917-18 must explain the comparatively large number of names on this memorial, which deals with only one set attack on a German position. This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died. The cemeteries and memorial were designed by Charles Holden.First NameGeorgeLast NameHorneFamilySingleYoungest son of Moncreiff Skene and Susannah HorneDate of Birth1 June 1886Place of BirthSouthbridge, Canterbury.Date of Death28 November 1917Place of DeathYpres, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in action
George enlisted 8 May 1915 and was assigned to C Company, 10th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion. He embarked for Suez on 4th March 1916 arriving 10 April 1916, but only three days later he re-embarked for France from Port Said arriving in Etaples 24 April. He joined the 2nd Battalion in the field on 23 May and whilst fighting with them on 25 September he suffered a gunshot wound to his side and thigh. He was evacuated to hospital at Rouen on 28th September and from there to England by ship on 3rd October. He was treated at Reading Hospital and then discharged to recuperate at Codford on 4 November. However it seems he was feeling well enough for a night on the town for he lost two days pay after going AWOL overnight on 22 November 1916. He was declared fit and marched into Sling Camp on 4th June 1917 from where he was sent to the front reaching Etaples on 25th. He joined the 12th Company, 2nd Battalion in the field and was killed in action on 28th November whilst the unit were holding the line near Ypres. He was buried in the field near where he fell but, even though co-ordinates were recorded, his body was not able to be found or identified after the war. His name is inscribed on the Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, Belgium. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Southbridge Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial and the Southbridge School Roll of Honour.
Polygon Wood (the "Polygone de Zonnebeke", or Polygoneveld)is a large wood south of the village of Zonnebeke which was completely devastated in the First World War. The wood was cleared by Commonwealth troops at the end of October 1914, given up on 3 May 1915, taken again at the end of September 1917 by Australian troops, evacuated in the Battles of the Lys, and finally retaken by the 9th (Scottish) Division on 28 September 1918. On the Butte itself is the Battle Memorial of the 5th Australian Division, who captured it on 26 September 1917. Polygon Wood Cemetery is an irregular front-line cemetery made between August 1917 and April 1918, and used again in September 1918. A walled avenue leads from Polygon Wood Cemetery, past the Cross of Sacrifice, to the Buttes New British Cemetery. This burial ground was made after the Armistice when a large number of graves (almost all of 1917, but in a few instances of 1914, 1916 and 1918) were brought in from the battlefields of Zonnebeke. The Buttes New British Cemetery Memorial, which stands in Buttes New British Cemetery, commemorates 378 officers and men of the New Zealand Division who died in the Polygon Wood sector between September 1917 and May 1918, and who have no known grave. The majority died in the trenches, or in working and carrying, and the conditions in the Salient during the winter of 1917-18 must explain the comparatively large number of names on this memorial, which deals with only one set attack on a German position. This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died. The cemeteries and memorial were designed by Charles Holden.First NameGeorgeLast NameHorneFamilySingleYoungest son of Moncreiff Skene and Susannah HorneDate of Birth1 June 1886Place of BirthSouthbridge, Canterbury.Date of Death28 November 1917Place of DeathYpres, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in action
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageLeeston and Ellesmere County War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryButtes New British CemeterySouthbridge School Roll of HonourEllesmere County War Memorial Occupation before EnlistingLabourerRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry BattalionEnlistment Details8th May 1915Service Number6/4062 Embarkation4th March 1916ReinforcementC Company, 10th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Private George Horne. Selwyn Stories, accessed 16/01/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/266
