John's Biography

The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) will honour the life of Lt John 'JT' Thornton RM, from Ferndown, Dorset, who was tragically killed in southern Afghanistan on 30th March 2008.

John achieved an incredible amount in his short but amazing life. Indeed, there are not many 22 year olds who can say they have climbed Kilimanjaro, flown with the Red Arrows, travelled across New Zealand, qualified as a sky diver and have worked in both Iraq and Afghanistan as an Officer in the Royal Marines.

John set his sights on becoming an Officer in the Royal Marines when he was 13 years old. Everything in his life then became focused on that goal and he worked tirelessly to achieve it.

John was educated at Ferndown Upper School and fully involved in all aspects of school life. He particularly enjoyed taking part in school productions, was a representative for the 6th Form Student Union and the first pupil to receive the 'Kevin Smith Award' for his extra-curricular achievement. There is no doubt that the support he received from his teachers helped him to achieve his ambitions.

He joined 2358 (Ferndown) Sqn Air Cadets in 1998 rising to the rank of Cadet Warrant Officer before leaving in 2004 to join the Royal Marines. Among his many achievements were a Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a parachute course at Weston-on-the Green, an RAF Marksman qualification and taking in part in the Nijmegen Marches on two occasions.

He was named top student on the challenging Air Cadet Junior Leaders' Course - the achievement recognized by a memorable flight with the Red Arrows at RAF Scampton. Afterwards, he was invited to become an instructor at Junior Leaders, inspiring a number of his fellow Ferndown cadets to apply for and succeed on what has become known as the Air Cadet Organisation's toughest course.

John commissioned into the Royal Marines in August 2004. After completing a grueling 15 months of Young Officer training and being awarded the coveted green beret, his first appointment was a Platoon Commander with the 1st Battalion The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry with whom he deployed to Iraq, serving with distinction on Op TELIC 8.

He was subsequently appointed to serve with 40 Commando Royal Marines in January 2007 and was "thrilled at the prospect of leading Marines on operations." He deployed to Afghanistan in September 2007 in command of Charlie Company's Fire Support Group and it was in this role that he excelled throughout Op HERRICK 7, until he was tragically killed 2 weeks away from coming home safely.

"John, known universally as "JT", joined the Royal Marines on 31st August 2004 and made an immediate impact. A conscientious and highly motivated man, he loved the life of a Royal Marine and very quickly proved himself to be a talented and highly capable Commando officer. During the various operations conducted by Charlie Company, "JT" was always to be found in the thick of the action; a courageous and brave commander he never asked his men to do anything that he would not do himself"

"JT was a central character within the Company. His relaxed and amiable personality made everyone he met warm to him. His good humour and ability to laugh at himself was balanced with highly professional skills and a devotion to the men under his command. Never shy of additional workload or responsibility, his laid back style drew the very best from his Marines and he was highly respected as a result of his willingness to listen to and take advice from his men"

"A true leader and officer for his men. He led from the front, and in doing so quickly gained the utmost respect from all under his command. Always ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in both work and when ashore. It was an honour to serve alongside him and to call him a friend."

"John's memory will continue to inspire Ferndown cadets for a long time. He was their hero who showed them how to live up to our "Venture Adventure" motto. We are so proud to have known him as 2358's brightest star."

"When John arrived at Junior Leaders he was already well on his way to becoming the brave and inspirational leader he later proved himself to be - A shining star that required so little polish. His commitment and hard work coupled with his sense of humour made him such a likeable character. John never lost contact with the course and his visits were valuable and inspiring to the students each year. I was extremely grateful that John took the time to visit us so much between deployments."

"This term we learned of the tragic death of Lieutenant John Thornton on active service in Afghanistan. As I am sure you will know, John was an ex student of this school and I remember him as being an exceptional young man, always ready to help other students and people in the community. Indeed, he was the very first recipient of a special award given by the school for community service. I also remember his excellent contribution to the musical life of the school. We will always remember John in the school and we have plans to commemorate him in a number of ways."

John lived his dream and died doing the job he loved. The aim of the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation is to encourage and assist young people to 'climb as high as they can dream.' Whatever their dream, we hope to help them achieve it.