Linda and Pete Thornton: “John lived his dream and died doing the job he loved.” Picture: Dorset Biz News.
Published: November 8, 2020 | Updated: 9th November 2020
It was just a normal Sunday night.
Linda Thornton was busying herself in the kitchen.
Her husband, Pete, was in the sitting room of the couple’s Ferndown home.
And then, at 8pm, there was a knock at the door.
In a matter of seconds their lives changed for ever.
Their son, Lieutenant John Thornton – a source of so much joy, love and pride and known simply by the initials ‘JT’ – had been killed while on active service in southern Afghanistan with 40 Commando Royal Marines.
He was 22.
That was just over 12 years ago.
But Pete says he can still recall every moment as if it was yesterday.
He said: “I opened the front door and there was a Royal Marine Major and a padre.
“I knew immediately what it was.”
Linda, who thought from the murmur of voices that Pete was talking to friends, said: “I just remember a feeling of total emptiness when they left.
“John was, and remains, at the centre of our lives.
“The only consolation was that he died doing the job that he loved.
“Our pride in John – and the person he was – grows bigger every year, if that’s possible.”
John set his sights on becoming an officer in the Royal Marines from the age of 13.
The former Ferndown Upper School student achieved his ambition six years later, receiving his coveted green beret after 15 months of gruelling young officer training.
“He was absolutely elated,” said Linda, 64.
“It was everything he ever wanted, to join ‘the best of the best’.
“I look back and wished he’d worked in a bank or followed another path.
“But he would never have been happy.
“John lived his dream and died doing the job he loved.”
Pete and Linda have two other sons, Graham and Ian.
Ian, now 38, was inspired to join the Royal Marines by his younger brother.
In 2011 he was deployed to Afghanistan to an area of Helmand province, not far from where John fell.
Ian also played a key role in the founding of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF), honouring the memory of the young Marine.
Pete, 72, said: “John had left some money which he said could pay for a drink for his friends or buy a trophy for a sporting achievement.
“One of our now trustees suggested that, perhaps, we could set up a charity in John’s name.
“Ian filled in all the paperwork and within two months we had the foundation registered and up and running.”
The JTYAF’s purpose is to encourage and assist young people to ‘climb as high as they can dream.’
Linda said: “Whatever their dream, we hope to help them achieve it.”
In its first year, the JTYAF raised £9,000.
The second year it was £36,000.
Now, 12 years after its formation, more than £750,000 has been awarded to nearly 2,000 people.
Young people from up to 18 youth organisations are supported with scholarships and bursaries.
Recipients of the charity’s Young Achievers Awards are selected for their demonstration of the foundation’s key values:
Simon Weston OBE is Patron and the Board of Trustees include Pete, Linda and Ian as well as business and community leaders.
All are volunteers.
The JTYAF has no paid staff and no premises with virtually all funds raised directly invested in young people.
Linda said: “We can’t believe how much money has been raised over the years.
“John loved helping people.
“The foundation is his charity and we do it all for him.
“This time of year is always a particularly hard time for us.
“But it’s so important we remember John and all those who’ve laid down their lives for this country.
“They must never be forgotten.”
