Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Stephen Horsley was the second son of Mr and Mrs John Horsley, of Wellingborough and the firm Messrs John Horsley Ltd, Corn Merchants of Wellingborough and Rushden.

Rushden Echo, 18th January 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins

Official News was received this morning that Pte. Stephen Horsley, of the Civil Service Rifles, second son of Mrs. John Horsley, of Wellingborough, and of the firm of Messrs. John Horsley, Ltd., corn merchants, Wellingboro' and Rushden, has been killed in action in Palestine. The late Pte. Horsley, who joined the Colours about 18 months ago, was well known in Wellingboro' and Rushden, and took a keen interest in church work, being for some time a member of the choir at St. Mary’s Church Wellingborough, and also a Sunday school teacher. Mrs. Horsley has one other son serving, viz., Pte. John Horsley, who was with his brother in the same regiment. Both deceased and his brother had served in France, Salonika, Egypt, and Palestine.


Rushden Echo. 25th January 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins

Wounded—In our last issue we reported the death of Rifleman Stephen Horsley, Civil Service Rifles, of the firm of Messrs. John Horsley, Ltd., corn merchants, Wellingborough, Rushden, and Higham Ferrers. We now regret to announce that deceased’s brother, Rifleman John C. Horsley, of the same regiment, has been seriously wounded by gunshot in the left leg, while on service in Palestine, and is now in hospital in Egypt. Before joining the Colours he was in charge of the Rushden branch of the firm.




Notes: Courtesy of Stephen Swailes (Wellingborough War Memorial researcher)

Stephen Horsley, Pte 533283 Civil Service Rifles, died of wounds, Egypt, 29th December 1917 aged 26. He served in France, Salonika, Egypt and Palestine. Son of John Horsley of Hull who ran a corn and flour merchants just below All Saints church (he and his brothers are pictured in the Wellingborough Pictorial Trade Record, December 1912). Old Wellingburian. A member of the choir at St Mary’s. Stephen Horsely is listed on St Mary’s memorial but as ‘not of this parish’.


The Monthly Record contains an account of a letter from his brother. “We went over the top to dislodge the Turks entrenched behind a wall. I was hit at the second rush and Stephen came to me and bound up my leg. Stephen was absolutely fine: he was hit while tying up my leg, and tried to help a man over the wall and was hit a second time; the man was killed. The last time I saw him was just after he had attended to my leg, he said, ‘I can’t leave you’ and wanted to help me over but I could not go. He received five bullet wounds and was taken prisoner by the Austrians who treated him well. I am sure he died a soldier’s death. He was quite calm and cool and entirely unselfish; he tried to help the wounded at the risk to his own life”. (W'boro News & Kettering Leader 25/1/1918)