No.43870, Private, Percy Arthur CORNWELL
Aged 27
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The family name is incorrectly spelled on the memorial plaque Percy Arthur Cornwell was born in Bottisham in 1890 (Newmarket Q4-1890 3B:472), believed to be the son of Mary Elizabeth CORNWELL.(she was born in the Workhouse in Newmarket in Q3-1871 1891 census...Aged 6 months, he was at Town Street, Bottisham with his grandmother Isabella CORNWELL [50] (née WHITE) born Bottisham. 1901 census...Aged 10, he was still at Town Street, Bottisham with his grandmother. 1911 census...Aged 20, a farm labourer, he was still with his grandmother at Wells Cottages, Bottisham. His grandmother died later that year in Q2. In Q3-1911 he married Susan WATTS (born Bottisham in 1892). They had a son, Harvey Samuel Cornwell (1918-2001) born in Stow cum Quy. |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
Percy was killed on the 2nd day of the Kaiserschlacht, the German Spring Offensive. The 11th Suffolks were in the Sensee valley and by nightfall on the 21st the Germans had broken through to St Leger. The enemy continued to advance and the battalion were ordered to withdraw from Croiselle front line which had been the old Hindenburg support line. The engineers endeavoured to destroy the tunnels. From dawn to dusk on the 22nd the 11th Suffolks strove to defend Henin Hill but at dusk they began to give way and battalion HQ and 2 companies fell back to the 3rd line just in front of Boyelles. The 11th Suffolks had 50 killed that day and none has an identified grave, all are named on the Arras Memorial.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
