Military Cross for Conspicuous Bravery

Thursday 11th May 1916: The Old Boys of the Bedford Elementary Schools will be delighted to learn that one of their number, Regiment-Sergeant-Major Frederick Thurley, of the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was yesterday at Buckingham Palace, decorated by the King with the Military Cross, for good and conspicuous work during the First Battle of Ypres from October 18th to November 7th 1914. Sergeant-Major Thurley is a son of Sergeant F Thurley and Mrs Thurley of 18 Ampthill Street, Bedford and belongs to a very old Bedford Volunteer family. He was educated at the Ampthill Road Boys Elementary Schools, at Bedford, during the present headmastership of Mr J Baldwin and was for some time under the tuition of Mr Dan Price. Between fourteen and fifteen years ago, Thurley enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment and after the outbreak of war he went with his Regiment to France on October 4th 1914, where he was remained ever since. Sergeant-Major Thurley, who is of an unassuming nature, has always been a popular man with his comrades in the regiment and when it became known that he had been recommended for the Military Cross, he received the hearty congratulations of his many friends. Special leave was granted to Sergeant-Major Thurley this week and no one felt more proud of his visit to Buckingham Palace than his father and mother, both of whom accompanied him to the Palace gate and awaited his return after the decoration by His Majesty.

In order to avoid the small army of photographers outside the Palace, Thurley left by a side gate, where he rejoined his parents. They quickly returned to Saint Pancras Station and arrived at Bedford at 3.50 pm, when they were met by Mr Baldwin and several of Thurley’s old schoolmates and, needless to say, he received very warm congratulations.

As stated above, Sergeant-Major Thurley has several other members of his family serving their King and Country at the present time. His father, Sergeant F Thurley, is at present at Lowestoft acting as a Cook-Sergeant; he joined the Bedfordshire Rifles 34 years ago and has never left the Corps, which is now known as the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment (TF). Two of the latter’s sons are Private A Thurley and Stretcher-Bearer C Thurley, both of whom are in Egypt serving with the 1st/5th Beds Regiment.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 12th May 1916