He has served in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Belize and Kenya, and on operations in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. Promoted to Colour Sergeant in June 2009 he assumed the role of Reconnaissance Platoon Second-in-Command.

Moving from Support Company, 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), he served with B (Malta) Company during the preparations for, and initial deployment on, Operation HERRICK 12 in Afghanistan.

He was then selected to command a team to train, advise and mentor the Afghan National Police in Gereshk, Helmand province, in order to further develop their capabilities and promote security and the rule of law.

On 23 June 2010, following an attack on a police checkpoint near Gereshk, Colour Sergeant Horton’s team, along with the Afghan National Police, deployed as a Quick Reaction Force to provide support.

The vehicle in which he was travelling overturned into the Nahr-e Bughra canal and, at approximately 2208hrs local time, Colour Sergeant Horton died in the incident alongside three of his colleagues from the Police Advisory Team – Lance Corporal David Ramsden, Private Douglas Halliday and Private Alex Isaac.