Name
Herbert Charles Cornhill
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/04/1918
42
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
267924
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRISTOL (ARNOS VALE) CEMETERY
Screen Wall. 6. 718.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Broxbourne Town Memorial, St Augustine’s Church Memorial, Hoddesdon, Hoddesdon and Rye Park Town Memorial, Hoddesdon, St Catherine and St Paul’s Church Memorial, Hoddesdon
Pre War
Herbert Charles CORNHILL was born in late 1880, in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, the son of James Cornhill, a General Labourer and Harriett Cornhill (nee Cutts). One of nine children.
1881 Census records Herbert aged 6 months, living with his parents, sisters Sarah (9), Harriet (7), brothers, James (5) and Henery (2), in Spital Brook, Hoddesdon, Herts.
1901 Census, Herbert aged 20, is working as a Domestic Groom, living with his parents, brothers Leonard (18), Arthur (13), and Willie (8), and sister Daisy (10), at 7 The Avenue, Hoddesdon, Herts.
Herbert married Jessie Lillian Shakespeare in late 1904, the marriage was registered in Ware, Herts.
1911 Census records Herbert married to Jessie, employed as a Groom/Gardener, they have no children and are living in High Road, Broxbourne, Herts.
Jessie died on 14th August 1916, aged 39, she was buried on 17th August 1916, at Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, Warwickshire. Herbert then married Margaret Ann Craigie in Warwick.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Coventry, Warwickshire, on 6th November 1915, for the duration of the war, he was posted to the Army Reserve the same day 6th. At the time he was living at 12 Wallace Street, Warwick, Warwickshire.
He was mobilized for war service in January 1917, posted to the 7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, (RWR) on 6th January 1917, and issued with the service number 6716, later 267924, on completion of his training he embarked at Southampton for France on the 25th April 1917, arriving the following day the 26th, he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, (RWR) on 13th May 1917.
Herbert received a Gun Shot Wound (GSW) to his left shoulder, he returned to England on 26th June 1917, for treatment at Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital, Milbank, London, returning to France on 15th December 1917. Posted to 2nd/8th Battalion, (RWR) on 23rd December 1917, joining his new unit in the field on 29th December 1917.
Herbert was wounded in action on 30th March 1918, admitted to No.6 General Hospital Rouen, France, transferred back to England for treatment arriving at the Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, on 6th April 1918, where he died of his wounds on 22nd April 1918. He is buried in Bristol (Arnos Vale) Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire.
Additional Information
Margaret later emigrated to Australia living at 55, Alma Road, and 37 Vale Street, St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Margaret received a grant of £5, on 29th April 1918, and a widow’s pension of 20/5, a week from 28th October 1918, for herself and her child by her first marriage and Herbert's effects of £13-03-01, pay owing and his war gratuity of £5.
Brother of Private William Cornhill who died of wounds on 29 Mar 1918 and of Private Arthur John Cornhill who was killed in action on 18 Nov 1916 and who are also commemorated on these memorials.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox, Richard Barber
