Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Thornley a bricklayer, born 1861 in Ashby de la Zouch, Leics., and his wife Clara Thornley (nee Smith, married in the 2nd quarter of 1884 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leics. district), born 1856 in Ashby de la Zouch, Leics. William Bertram was born on the 30th June 1898 in St. Helen’s, Ashby de la Zouch, Leics., his siblings were, Thomas, a clerk’s assistant, born 1885, Mabel, born 1887 and Edna, born 1893, all his siblings were born in Ashby de la Zouch, Leics., also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandmother Ann Smith, a seamstress, born 1830 in Normanton le Heath, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at 18, South Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leics. In April 1911 William was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at South Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leics., together with his father, a casual bricklayer, his mother and siblings, Mabel, a dressmaker and Edna, a milliner, also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandmother, Ann Smith. The background relating to the circumstances in which William lost his life are as follows: On the 19th September 1918 SS. Barrister was enroute from Glasgow and Liverpool to the West Indies with a general cargo and mail, when she was attacked and sunk in the Irish Sea 9 miles W.1/2. from Chicken Rock Lighthouse, S.W. of the Isle of Man, by a torpedo fired by German submarine UB-64, with the loss of 30 lives.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday October 4th, 1918

ASHBY

Signaller Bert Thornley, son of Mr George Thornley, of Cliftonthorpe, Ashby, is stated not to be on the list of survivors from his torpedoed ship, news to this effect having been forwarded by the Admiralty to his parents. Before joining the Navy, Thornley was a painter’s apprentice in Ashby. He is a nephew of ex-Police Constable and Mrs John Wood, of Highfields Street, Coalville.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 14/6/2018