British Resistance Archive – Blog archive

Cecil Thornalley (seated right)

Cecil Thornalley, former Auxilier with the Dalby Patrol (3A) in Lincolnshire sadly died at 2.30pm on 13th February 2014.

During the war, Farmer Cecil Thornalley, was just 20 years old and like many young men in his circumstances, had rushed to join the Home Guard.

He was recruited into Aux Units by Capt Hamilton-Hill (later SOE) who made his Lincolnshire HQ at Dalby Hall, now home to James Bond (Daniel Craig)

Cecil was the Patrol Corporal and his elder brother George was Sergeant.

Cecil features a lot in Mark Sansom’s great book on the Lincolnshire Aux Units. Cecil enjoyed driving and walking around Lincolnshire hunting for OBs with the late Eddie Welberry and Mark S. There was one OB that had become part of a large badger sett that Cecil simply dare not go in!

In later life Cecil and his wife Lucy lived in Woodhall Spa, close to the W.S. Golf Club where Tony Jacklin first made his name. Cecil had been in the nursing home next door to home for some years and so Lucy was able to visit him regularly. But before this Cecil usually spent part of his day playing snooker in the Conservative Club with a beer not far away.

Cecil was nearly 94 years of age.

We will remember them…….

(Our thanks to Tim Wray for informing us of this sad news and providing most of the information above.)