Name
Arthur John Cornhill
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/11/1916
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/10230
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 5 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Broxbourne Town Memorial,
St Augustine’s Church Memorial, Broxbourne,
Hoddesdon and Rye Park Town Memorial, Hoddesdon,
St Catherine and St Paul’s Church Memorial, Hoddesdon,
Stanstead Abbotts Memorial
Pre War
Born in 1887 in Broxbourne son of James and Hariett Cornhill and living in Spital Brook, Hoddesdon in 1891. He married Ada Jessie Durrant on 20 Oct 1910 in Ware and lived in 36 South Street, Stanstead Abbotts, Ware, Herts with three children. He was a nursery man.
Enlisted at Stanstead Abbotts on 29 Nov 1915.
Wartime Service
Joined East Kent Regt (The Buffs) in Bedford on 29 Nov 1915, mobilised on 30 May 1916 and embarked at Folkestone on 24 Oct 1916. Took part in Battle of the Somme from 01/07/1916 fought at Trones Wood, Delville Wood, Thiepval Ridge and the Ancre, the final battle of the Somme campaign, Arthur was killed in the attack on the German position of Desire Trench. His body was never found, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial. The British attack took place in driving sleet and snow and turned into chaos. Of the 500 or so men from his unit over 250 were casualties.
Additional Information
Brother of Private Herbert Charles Cornhill who died of wounds on 22 Apr 1918 and of Private William Cornhill who died of wounds on 29 Mar 1918 and who are also commemorated on these memorials.
Acknowledgments
Richard Barber, Malcolm Lennox, Terry Collins
