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174 Regimental Sergeant Major
ALBERT HENRY HORTON
Royal Engineers 

By 

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, BSAE P.E., MinstRE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(October 2025) 

Figure 1.  R.S.M. Albert Henry Horton, R.E.
(Image courtesy of The Sapper magazine) 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

            The author wishes to extend his gratitude to Terry Budd, Royal Engineers Historical Society, for providing an outline of R.S.M. Horton’s military service and the location of where his service papers could be found on the internet. 

1. INTRODUCTION

This research was inspired by the photograph above.  This photograph was found in an old copy of The Sapper magazine published about the time of Horton’s death, circa 1932.  The caption of the photograph shows his regimental number as 171 when in fact his service papers indicate that his number was 174. 

2. EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY INFORMATION 

            Albert Henry Horton was born in Calne, Wiltshire[1] in October 1875.  He was the son of Henry Horton (1836-1893) and Ann Horton, née Andrews (1843-1926).[2]  The 1881 Census of England shows the family living in the Lower Mill in Cherhill, Wiltshire as shown in the table below.  Their residence appears to have been in a building at a corn mill that had been part of Cherhill Manor since medieval times. 

In 1891 the family was still living at the Lower Mill in Cherhill.  In the census taken that year Henry Horton’s occupation is shown as a Mason and Albert’s occupation is shown as an apprentice of some sort, although the type of apprentice is not legible.  As he listed his trade as a Harness Maker when he enlisted in the Army, this may have been his apprentice trade.

1881 Census of England

3.      PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION 

The following is a description of Albert Henry Horton at the time of his enlistment in the Royal Engineers in 1896.[3]

            The above description of Horton was made on 7 July 1896 at the time of a medical examination performed to determine his fitness to serve in the Army.  He was determined to be physically fit.

4.  ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING[4]

Enlistment

            Horton enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Birmingham on 7 July 1896.  His Short Service Attestation form indicates that he was a Harness Maker by trade and that he was not married at the time.  He had never been imprisoned by Civil Power, had no prior naval or military service and had never been rejected as unfit for service.  He indicated that he was willing to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated and that he was willing to enlist in the Royal Engineers for a term of 12 years.  A Certificate of Medical Examination was issued for him on this date finding him fit for service in the Army.  A Certificate of Primary Military Examination also was issued finding him fit for service in the Royal Engineers.  On 10 July 1896 Lieutenant Colonel G.F. Davidson, the Recruiting Staff Officer in Birmingham, issued Horton’s Certificate of Approving Officer for his service in the Royal Engineers. 

Training

            Following the administrative actions involved with his enlistment, Horton was sent off for his recruit training to the School of Military Engineering (SME) at Brompton Barracks in Chatham, Kent.  With the exception of Drivers, every recruit enlisted for the Royal Engineers had to have a trade.  Pioneers and Sappers were sent to Chatham where they were trained in infantry drill and pioneer duties. The engineer recruits also received musketry training.  When the course of training was completed the recruits had to pass an examination and were then transferred to engineer formations, where they received higher pay and could earn extra allowances by working at their special trades.

4.      POSTINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

South Africa 1899-1902 

            On 21 October 1899, upon the completion of his training at Chatham, Sapper Horton was posted to the 17^th Field Company, R.E. commanded by Major H.H. Massey, R.E.  The company formed part of the British 1^st Infantry Division in South Africa.  The 17^th Field Company famously played a crucial role in Sir Redvers Buller’s fight to regain control of Natal. It was engaged in all of the major actions on the Tugela including the Battle of Spion Kop, and suffered significantly because it conducted much of its crucial operations under fire. The company’s persistently unenviable task was in assisting the gunners by preparing the redoubts, in the digging of trenches, the repair of pontoons, bridges and disrupted railway lines and establishing troop encampments.  

Figure 2.  The 17^th Field Company at Durban.
(Image courtesy of AngloBoerWar.com)

            Horton departed South Africa on 9 October 1902, having spent 2 years and 354 days there.  Upon his arrival home he was posted to the Aldershot Command.

Aldershot Command (1902-1908) 

            On 20 June 1903, then a Lance Corporal, Horton extended his service to complete 12 years with the Colours.  While at Aldershot, Horton served with the 1^st Field Troop, R.E. in  the 1^st Cavalry Brigade.[5]  Since a Royal Engineers field troop was a mounted unit, Horton most likely received equestrian training at the Royal Engineers Mounted Depot at Aldershot prior to his posting to the 1^st Cavalry Brigade.  His civil trade as a harness maker may also have had something to do with this posting. 

Figure 3.  A Mounted Sapper in Training.
(Image from the author’s post card collection)

On 1 October 1904 Horton was promoted to the rank of Second Corporal and on 14 July 1906 he re-engaged to complete 21 years’ service. 

            On 5 February 1907 Second Corporal Horton married Lilian Julia Milford (1861-1964) at the Registry Office, St. Pancras, London.  Lilian gave birth to a daughter, Ruby Catherine Horton (1907-?) in St. Pancras on 10 June 1907. 

South Africa (1908-1913) 

            Second Corporal Horton was posted to South Africa again on 31 August 1908 after 5 years and 113 days of Home Service at Aldershot.  Upon his arrival in South Africa he joined the 2^nd Field Troop, R.E. at the Headquarters District Office of the Pretoria Sub-District at Robert’s Heights in Pretoria.[6]  On 13 October he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.

            In 1911 Horton and the 2^nd Field Troop were located at Potchefstroom in the Transvaal, South Africa.  The commanding officer of the 2^nd Field Troop at the time was Captain Charles Reginald Johnson, D.S.O., R.E.,[7] Johnson was in the process of replacing Captain Raymond Vernon Doherty-Holwell, R.E,[8] who was on orders for home.  The other officers in the troop were Lieutenant Victor Herman Simon, R.E.[9] and Lieutenant G.E.H. Sim, R.E.[10] 

Aldershot and Chatham (1913-1914) 

            Horton departed South Africa with the 2^nd Field Troop on 7 February 1913 after serving 5 years and 8 days abroad and on 17 February he was promoted to Sergeant.  On 1 December 1913 he was appointed Troop Sergeant Major and on 11 February 1914 he was transferred to the 5^th Field Troop as its Sergeant Major.

            On 18 February 1914 Horton’s second daughter, Una Lillian (1914-1995) was born at Chatham, indicating perhaps that the 5^th Field Troop was serving there at that time.  On 1 April 1914 Horton was posted to the 1^st Field Squadron, R.E. in the 1^st Cavalry Brigade as a Troop Sergeant Major.  Within four and a half months this unit would depart for France as one of the first units of the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.).  His would be a long war.

France and Flanders (1914-1919) 

            Troop Sergeant Major Horton and his unit departed for France on 15 August 1914.  While serving with the 1^st Field Squadron, Horton was involved in several major actions including those shown below.[11]  Fatal casualties in the squadron are also listed by date.[12] 

·         The Battle of Mons from 23 August and the subsequent retreat from Mons, which included the action at Elouges and the rearguard action at Solesmes.

·         The Battle of Le Cateau from 26 August, with the subsequent rearguard actions at Etreux, Nery and Villers-Cotterets. 

·         The Battle of the Marne, 5-12 September 1914.

·         The Battle of the Aisne, 12-15 September 1914 and the subsequent actions on the Aisne Heights.

·         The First Battle of Ypres, 19 October – 22 November 1914. 

During this battle the squadron suffered its only officer casualty, Lieutenant Robert Randle Egerton, killed in action on 16 November 1914. 

·         Winter Operations of the 1^st Cavalry Division, 1914-1915.

The squadron suffered one fatal casualty during this period, 11560 Sapper C. Evans, killed in action on 12 February 1915. 

·         The Second Battle of Ypres, 22 April – 25 May 1915.

This battle was the costliest for the squadron with the following fatalities:

12599 Corporal Ernest George Brewster, killed in action on 18 May 1915.

13504 Corporal Albert Reuben Lee, killed in action on 22 May 1915.

18650 Sapper Stanley Harold Mullins, killed in action on 24 May 1915.

On 9 July 1915, Acting Troop Sergeant Major Horton was promoted to the substantive rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 while still serving in the 1^st Field Squadron, 1^st Cavalry Division. 

Prior to leaving the squadron in November 1916, Troop Sergeant Major lost two more men.

26628 Lance Corporal William Joseph Randall, killed in action on 11 February 1916.

25636 Sapper I. Jacob Hershon, killed in action on 7 August 1916. 

On 10 November 1916 WO2 Horton was transferred to Heaquarters, 21^st Divisional Engineers.  Along with this transfer he was appointed Acting Regimental Sergeant Major making him the senior non-commissioned officer working for the division’s Commander Royal Engineers (CRE).  He joined his new unit on 18 November and on the following day he was promoted to the temporary rank of Warrant Officer Class1. 

On 1 February 1917 WO1 Horton was Mentioned in Despatches by General Sir Douglas Haig, G.C.B., Commander-in-Chief of the British Armies in France, to the Secretary of State for War, for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty.[13]

The 21^st Division was one of the most heavily engaged divisions in the B.E.F.  Horton would find himself involved in many battles including the following:[14] 

·         The First Battle of the Scarpe, 9-14 April 1917. 

·         The Second Battle of the Scarpe, 3-4 May 1917.

On 2 May 1917 Horton was appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 (Sergeant Major) for the duration of the war. 

·         The Battle of Polygon Wood, 26 September – 3 October 1917.

·         The Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October 1917.

·         The Battle of Passchendaele, 26 October – 10 November 1917. 

·         The Battle of Cambrai, 20 November – 3 December 1917. 

On 28 December 1917 Horton was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with the following citation. “His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Meritorious Service Medal, in recognition of valuable services rendered with the Armies in the Field during the present war.”  Presumably this award was based on the recommendation of the CRE 21^st Divisional Engineers.[15] 

Horton left France on 30 December 1917 on 14 day’s leave and returned to his unit on 14 January 1918.  He was admitted to hospital on 27 February for treatment of caries of dentine, presumably a toothache or to have some cavities filled.  His medical record at that time shows his rank as Regimental Sergeant Major and his time with the B.E.F. as 3 years and 6 months.  He returned to duty with the 21^st Divisional Headquarters on 1 March 1918. 

·         The Battle of St. Quentin, 21-23 March 1918.

·         The Battle of Bapaume, 24-25 March 1918. 

·         The Battle of Messines, 10-11 April 1918.

·         The Battle of Bailleul, 13-15 April 1918.

·         The First Battle of Kemmel, 17-19 April 1918.

·         The Second Battle of Kemmel, 25-26 April 1918.

·         The Battle of Scherpenberg, 29 April 1918.

·         The Battle of the Aisne, 27 May – 6 June 1918. 

Horton began one month’s leave on 22 July 1918.  The Battle of Albert opened on 21 August 1918 and ended on 23 August.  Horton returned from leave on 22 August, so he did not see much of this action. 

·         The Battle of Bapaume, 31 August – 3 September 1918.

·         The Battle of Epehy, 18 September 1918. 

·         The Battle of St. Quentin Canal, 29 September – 2 October 1918. 

·         The Battle of Cambrai, 8-9 October 1918. 

·         The Battle of the Selle, 17-25 October 1918. 

·         The Battle of the Sambre, 4 November 1918.

By the time that Armistice Day ended the war, the units that Horton had served with had participated in 27 major actions of the Great War.  Although the 21^st Division has been heavily engaged during the war, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission does not list any men of the Headquarters, 21^st Divisional Engineers as casualties during the war. 

On 31 March 1919 Horton began a 14-day leave in the U.K.  He returned to duty from leave on 15 April and appears to have been involved with the demobilization of the 21^st Divisional Engineers.  He finally departed France on 24 June 1919 and joined the Royal Engineers Training Depot at Aldershot on 28 June. 

Horton proceeded to an assembly area at Aldershot for dispersal on 31 October 1919 and he was discharged from the Army on 29 December.  He listed his intended home address on discharge as 9 Grange Road in Tongham, Surrey.

            The following sections are presented in tabular form to summarize Horton’s promotions, appointments, qualifications and the medals that he was awarded during his time in the Army.  They are provided to give the reader easy access to these aspects of his military career.  The tables are followed by a section dealing with his post-service life.

6.  PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

Promotions:  Horton received the following promotions during his time in service:

Appointments:  Horton received the following appointments during his time in service:

7. CONDUCT AND QUALIFICATIONS

Conduct:  Horton received the following Good Conduct awards during his time in service.

Qualifications: Horton received the following classifications during his time in service.

8. MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Regimental Sergeant Major Horton received the following medals during his time in service. 

1.      Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps [CAPE COLONY], [ORANGE FREE STATE], [TRANSVAAL], [TUGELA HEIGHTS], [RELIEF OF LADYSMITH] and [LAING’S NEK].

2.      King’s South Africa Medal with clasps [SOUTH AFRICA 1901] and [SOUTH AFRICA 1902].

3.      1914 Star and bar with rosette.

4.      British War Medal.

5.      Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches oak leaf.

6.      Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (GVR.

7.      Meritorious Service Medal (GVR).

Medals Awarded for the Boer War, 1899 to 1902 

Figure 4.  The Queen’s and King’s South Africa Medals.
(Image courtesy of Liverpool Medals) 

Medals Awarded for the Great War of 1914-1918 

Figure 5.  The 1914 Star and bar, British War Medal and Victory Medal with MID oak leaf.
(Image from the author’s collection) 

Figure 6.  Horton’s Great War Medal Index Card.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com) 

Medals Awarded for Good Conduct and Meritorious Service 

Figure 7 and 8.  The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (left) and the Meritorious Service Medal (right).
(Images from the author’s collection) 

NOTE:  None of the medals shown above are those of R.S.M. Horton.  They are presented here for illustrative purposes only. 

Figure 9.  Horton’s Meritorious Service Medal Index Card.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com) 

9.  RELEASE FROM SERVICE 

            Sergeant Major Horton was discharged from the Army on 29 December 1919.  His total service was reckoned as shown in the tables below:

10.  POST SERVICE LIFE

            The 1921 census shows Horton family presumably living at 9 Grange Road in Tongham, Surrey, based on his intended place of residence when discharged from the Army.           

1921 Census of England 

            Albert Henry Horton died suddenly in Guildford, Surrey on 4 March 1932 at the age of 56.

REFERENCES 

Books 

The Medal Roll of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Volume V, Queen’s and King’s South Africa Medals, 1899-1902.  Chatham, Kent, undated. 

Census 

1. 1881 Census of England (RG 11/2036).

2. 1891 Census of England (RG 12/1597).

3. 1911 Census 2^nd Field Troop, Cantonment, Potchefstroom, Transvaal, South Africa.

4. 1921 Census of England.  

Family Tree 

Albert Henry Horton (by Gerald Tessler). 

Internet Web Sites 

1. Royal Engineers Historical Society: Notes by Terry Budd from a summary of Horton’s service papers.

2. The Long, Long Trail: 1^st Cavalry Division.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/1st-cavalry-division/

3. Pirbright Historians.

https://www.pirbright.info/Headstones/Horton.html

4.      Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

https://www.cwgc.org/

5.      AngloBoerWar.com

https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/190-royal-engineers/586-royal-engineers?showall=1

London Gazette 

1. Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 February 1917, p. 216.

2. Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1918, pp. 66 and 70.  

Military Documents 

1. Service Papers of Albert Henry Horton.

a.       Short Service Attestation.

b.      Description on Enlistment.

c.       Statement of Services and Continuation sheets.

d.      Military History Sheet.

e.       Casualty Form – Active Service

2. Medal Index Card.

3. Meritorious Service Medal Card.

4. Mention in Despatches Card (typed)

5. Mention in Despatcher Card (handwritten).  

Periodicals 

1.      Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.

2.      Royal Engineers List, January 1905.  Chatham, Kent.

3.      Royal Engineers List, October 1908.  Chatham, Kent.

4.      The Sapper magazine, 1932.

ENDNOTES