Gray Horton

William Gray Horton was the son of the famous American impressionist painter, William Samuel Horton. William, Jr., known as Gray (his mother’s maiden name), was born in France, but educated at Harrow School. He then went to the Sandhurst Military College, and was granted UK citizenship in 1917. He joined the first Battalion of the Scots Guards in May 1917, was injured in November, and was awarded the Military Cross the following February. He left the Guards in 1932 to help run his wife’s family business, the Le Bas Company, but rejoined the Guards at the start of World War II, and served with the British Expeditionary Force in France, before commanding various Army and RAF Regiments. He was also responsible for the formation and command of the famous Fighter Command Battle School at RAF Hazlemere. Lieutenant Colonel Horton was mentioned in dispatches in 1946.

Although he was an Olympian, with the 1924 British bobsleigh team, Horton regularly competed in individual an inter-regimental tennis competitions, and was also a fine golfer, and member of the Household Brigade Golfing Society.