WORLD WAR I
Bingham War Memorial
Service Record
| 4818 [ND] 43063 [SS] |
Private Herbert Cowdell | 8th Btn South Staffordshire Regiment Formerly 4818, Notts and Derby Regt. |
Born 1890 |
| Killed in action on 23/04/1917 |
No known grave commemorated on Arras Memorial |
Panel ref: Bay 6 | |
| Forces Records.com | The South Staffordshire Regiment played a major part in the Battle of Arras – a major British offensive which took place over the period 9th. April to the 16th. May 1917. They achieved great success in the first phase of the battle – at Vimy Ridge and at the 1st battle of the Scarpe. However the Germans poured reinforcements into the area. The third phase, which took place over the 23rd/24th April, although resulting in eventual success for the British and the Allies, became known later as ‘The Blood Tub’. These two days took a greater daily death toll than any other battle fought by British troops in the whole of the World War1. Private Cowdell fell on the first of the two days. | ||
| War Diary | The handwriting of the war diary is extremely difficult to decipher. The action on 23rd and 24th April was clearly an unsuccessful one with many casualties. 3 officers and 26 Other ranks in this one battalion were killed, with twice that number missing, trying to take one German trench. | ||
| Medal record | Medal
record card shows: Previous service with Notts and Derbys Regiment as Private, service no 4814 Then S. Staffs regiment number 43063 Medals : Victory, British, 15 star Theatre of war first served in: (2B) Balkans: Date of entry therein: 1.10.15. |
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| CWGC | Son of Mrs. W. Cowdell, of 2, Fisher Gate [Lane], Bingham, Nottingham. | ||
| Register of Effects | Herbert’s back pay of £25.0s.15d. was paid to his sole legatee,
his mother, Elizabeth on 5th July 1917 |
A War Gratuity of£12.10s.0d. was paid to Elizabeth on 22nd October 1919. | |
No army records on Ancestry. Medal record card copied
Family history etc
| 43063 | Private Herbert Cowdell | ||
| 1890 | Born Bingham 14/12/1890 |
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| 1841 onwards | Cowdells were a long established Bingham family, descended from Samuel and Elizabeth. Samuel was a chimney sweep in 1841. | ||
| 1870 | Father William was born in Westwood, Derbyshire although all other family members except one brother were born in Bingham. We assume William’s father, James, moved for work as Westwood is part of the Ironville industrial area of the Erewash Valley. | ||
| Census 1871 | Grandfather James, b 1841, living in Union Street with: Wife: Jane, b 1836 Sons: James, b 1866 Bingham William (Herbert’s father) b 1870 Arthur, b 1871 And: Granddaughter: Alice Smith, b 1868 |
Labourer | |
| 1891 | Living in Chancel Row with: Father: William b 1870 Westwood Mother: Elizabeth b 1864 Bingham |
Farm Labourer |
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| 1901 | Living in Fisher Lane with: Father: William Mother: Elizabeth Siblings: Florrie b 1894 Elizabeth b 1892 Annie b 1897 William b 1900 |
Agricultural labourer |
Probably next door to William’s older brother James and family |
| 1911 | Living in a 6 roomed house in Fisher Lane with: Father: William Mother: Elizabeth Siblings: Annie, b 1897 William, b 1900 Nellie, b 1902 Frank, b. 1906 And: Ellen Clark, b 1846, Elizabeth’s sister |
Working as Farm Labourer Farm Labourer Domestic servant Described in census as “feeble minded” |
William died before 1917 |