World War 2

A generation later, following the Great War, war returned.

Horton once again became a war hospital and the Cluster was reshaped to accommodate wartime requirements.

Once again, serving military personnel who died were generally buried at Epsom Cemetery or elsewhere rather than at Horton.

And once again, there is a known exception.

Private Henry Walter James, of the Pioneer Corps, died on 7 February 1941. Like Peter McMahon before him, he died at Long Grove and was buried at Horton Cemetery.

His burial is recorded as taking place on 15 February 1941 in grave 1724a.

His grave within Horton Cemetery is unmarked.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission nevertheless recognises James as a casualty of the Second World War, with a special memorial at Epsom Cemetery recording that he is buried at Horton Estate Cemetery.

McMahon and James therefore represent at least two known and officially recognised Commonwealth war dead buried within Horton Cemetery – one from each World War.

Their presence is acknowledged by the memorial now standing outside Horton Cemetery, which remembers the servicemen of the two World Wars buried there.

There may be further military stories still to uncover. The Friends’ research has identified numerous veterans among the cemetery population, including Polish military personnel who had been patients within the Cluster after serving during the Second World War. Whether any others meet the criteria for formal Commonwealth War Graves recognition requires further research.