He served in the Second World War with the Cambridgeshire Regiment, seeing action during the Japanese invasion of Malaya, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and in the Battle of Singapore.
[8] in August of the following year, he was appointed as the Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force,[9] upon which he was granted the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel.
[10] He served as Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force until 1939, after which he was succeeded by fellow services first-class cricketer Reginald White.
[1] During the Second World War, the battalion was sent to Singapore to reinforce the 15th Indian Infantry Brigade at Batu Pahat against Japanese attacks.
[1] The brigade held the town for ten days and Thorne was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his determination and leadership in holding back the Japanese advances.
[1] Eventually forced out of the town, some 500 members of the battalion fought their way back to Singapore, where they came under intense attack along the Braddell Road.