Thomas Egbert Howorth was born in Ashton-under-Lyne on the 19th of January 1878.
Appointed Lieutenant with the 3rd Volunteer Battalion Manchester Regiment he maintained that rank and his seniority when the 3rd Volunteer Battalion became the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment on April 1, 1908. On May 20th of the following year he was promoted to Captain.
He sailed with the 9th battalion to Egypt in September 1914 and served with them there during their training and preparation for action. He was promoted to temporary Major on February 9, 1915 while serving in Egypt. While in Egypt, he was able to take 10 days leave from December 10-24 along with Capt. Hamer. He landed with the Battalion in Gallipoli on May 9, 1915 as “A” Company Commanding Officer. On June 19, 1915 he was evacuated from Gallipoli and transported to hospital in Malta suffering from Enteric Fever. After around six months in Malta he was sufficiently recovered to be repatriated back to the UK spending time in hospital in Birmingham.
He rejoined the Battalion in November 1916 as a newly promoted Major (Gazetted November 2, 1916) and served with them in Egypt. In December 1916 he took over command of “C” Company, replacing Captain Oliver Jepson Sutton. He briefly assumed temporary command of the Battalion from February 18-20, 1917.
He sailed with the Battalion to France in March 1917 and by April was Commanding Officer of “A” Company. He spent a week attending a course of instruction for Company Commanders at Montigny from April 1-7. On June 25, 1917 he was slightly wounded at Havrincourt Wood but remained on duty at his post. He took leave to England from July 20th to August 2nd and attended a Summer rest camp for 12 days from September 15th to 29th while the Battalion was at Ypres. On December 14th he attended an RFC course for senior Officers and then proceeded to the UK on leave for two weeks, rejoining the Battalion on January 11, 1918.
On March 21, 1918 the 9th Manchesters were serving in the 198th Brigade of the 66th (2nd/East Lancashire) Division. The 9th Battalion were in the support line at Hervilly, East of Péronne, on the evening of March 20, 1918. The entire divisional front came under an intense artillery and gas bombardment starting at 4.40am and the Battalion was quickly moved up towards the front. By 4pm on the afternoon of March 21st, 2 Companies of the 9th Battalion were in front of Trinket redoubt. The Battalion retired through Roisel during the evening of the 22nd and early hours of the 23rd. Major Howorth was wounded on March 21st and evacuated to hospital. On March 29, 1918 he was invalided to the UK and struck off the strength of the Battalion.
On July 12, 1918 he was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre for gallantry for his actions in March. He ended the war serving with the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment and March 1919 he was awarded the Territorial Decoration.
After the war, in early 1928, he married Florence Elizabeth Archer who was almost 30 years younger than he. They lived on Currier Lane in Ashton-under-Lyne where he was heavily involved with the Scouts.
Major Thomas Egbert Howorth, TD died on December 5, 1945. He was 67 years old.