Name
Arthur John Cornhill
1887
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
He has no headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, to the missing in France.
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
Arthur John CORNHILL was born in late 1887, in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, the son of James Cornhill, a General Labourer and Harriett Cornhill (nee Cutts). One of nine children.
1901 Census records Arthur aged 13, at school, living with his parents, brothers, Herbert (20), Leonard (18), Willie (8), and sister Daisy (10), at 7 The Avenue, Hoddesdon, Herts.
Arthur married Ada Jessie Durrant, at St Mary the Virgine, Ware, Herts, on 22nd October 1910, (some documents record the date of the marriage as the 20th), they went on to have three children, Vera May (B 1911), Arthur Charles (B 1913) and Frank Thomas (B 1915).
1911 Census records Arthur (23) as the Head of the house, and working as Nursery Hand, his father-in-law, Thomas Durrant, is living with him, at 36 South Street, Stanstead Abbotts, Herts, on the night of the Census Ada is recorded as visiting her sister May Clift and her husband Walter Clift and their family, at 14 Bowling Road, Ware, Herts.
Wartime Service
Arthur enlisted at Stanstead Abbotts, Herts on 29th November 1915, for the duration of the war, posted to the Army Reserve on 30th November 1915. Mobilized for war service on 30th May 1916, posted to the 3rd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 1st June 1916 and issued with the service number G/10230. On completion of his training, he embarked at Folkestone, on 24th October 1916, for France. Joining the 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) in the field on 8th November 1916. He was Killed in Action just 10 days later the 18th November. Arthur was killed during the attack on the German position of Desire Trench, (part of the Battle of the Ancre 13th – 18th November 1916). His body was never found, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme, France.
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, Arthur being one of them.
Additional Information
Ada was awarded a widow’s pension of 13/6 a week and 12/6 a week for the children from 30th June 1917. Ada also received his effects of 14/6 pay owing and his war gratuity of £3.
Brother of Private Herbert Charles Cornhill who died of wounds on 22 Apr 1918 and of Private William Reginald Cornhill who died of wounds on 29 Mar 1918 and who are also commemorated on these Memorials.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Richard Barber, Malcolm Lennox, Terry Collins
