Major Joseph Horton, Royal Artillery in the desert

Major Joseph Horton was my father. He enlisted at Ledbury in Herefordshire at the start of the Second World War and trained to become an officer at Alton Towers.

He later served with the Royal Artillery in the Western Desert calculating firing solution formulae for long-range guns. He was also involved in the preparations for the Battle of El Alamein in October/November 1942. Some of the photographs show Major Horton and colleagues during a 2,000 mile journey across the desert.

He later served in both Italy and Greece before the war's end as can be seen on the inside of his cigarette case.