WORLD WAR I
Bingham War Memorial
Service Record
| 79149 | Private Frederick Cowdell | 20th Div Royal Field Artillery | born 1896 |
| Roll of Honour/AVL | Not listed on Roll of Honour but is on AVL, with an address Fisher Lane, with brother Albert. | ||
| Medal card | Served in France from 21-4-15 Card shows he began as a driver but was later a Gunner Awarded 15 star British and Victory medals. Entered France 21.4.15 |
||
| Long Long Trail web site | On 26 July 1915 the Division completed concentration in the
Saint-Omer area, all units having crossed to France during the preceding
few days. Early trench familiarisation and training took place in the Fleurbaix
area. The Division served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in many of the significant actions: 1916 The Battle of Mount Sorrel, a local operation in which the Division recaptured the height with the Canadians The Battle of Delville Wood* The Battle of Guillemont* The Battle of Flers-Courcelette* The Battle of Morval* The Battle of Le Transloy* The battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916 1917 The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line The Battle of Langemarck** The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge** The Battle of Polygon Wood** The battles marked ** are phases of the Third Battles of Ypres The Cambrai Operations 1918 The Battle of St Quentin+ The actions at the Somme crossings+ The Battle of Rosieres+ The battles marked + are phases of the First Battles of the Somme 1918 The Division was withdrawn after the heavy fighting of the Somme battles, moving on 20 April 1918 to an area south west of Amiens. During the summer months it received many new drafts of men. The Battle of the Selle^^ The Battle of Valenciennes^^ The Battle of the Sambre^^ and the passage of the Grand Honelle The battles marked ^^ are phases of the Final Advance in Picardy The Division was in the area between Bavay and Maubeuge when the Armistice came into effect at 11am on 11 November. Late in the month the units moved to the Toutencourt-Marieux area. demobilisation began on 7 January 1919 and the final cadres crossed to England on 28 May.. In all the 20th (Light) Division had suffered the loss of 35470 killed, wounded and missing. Several RFA brigades were attached to the Division. |
||
Family history etc
| 79149 | Private Frederick Cowdell | ||
| 1896 | Born in Bingham |
||
| Census 1901 | Living in Fisher Lane, Bingham with: Father: James, b 1865 widower Siblings: Rose, b 1892 Arthur, b 1894 Albert, b 1898 Alice, b 1900 |
Bricklayer’s labourer |
James’ wife, Eliza Haywood, died 1899 |
| Census 1911 | Living in Fisher Lane, Bingham with: Father: James (d 1938) Siblings: Rose Arthur Albert |
Farm Labourer Bricklayer’s labourer Farm Labourer |
|
| Free BMD 1921/ GRO |
Frederick married Minnie Brown at Wesleyan Chapel, Blidworth. Address for both Woodside Cottages, Blidworth |
His age of 25 is consistent with his year of birth. Father James Cowdell, bricklayer but on certificate no address is given for father. Ancestry tree seems to confirm. | Frederick’s occupation given as coal miner. |
| Note | If he had moved to Mansfield, this may explain why he is not on the Roll of Honour. | ||
| Ancestry tree | Children born to Frederick and Minnie: Alice Ruby, b 12th March 1922; d Apr qtr 1974 David Henry, b 19th November 1925; m 1950 to Kathleen Newman; d 6th April 1985 |
||
| Ancestry tree | Died in Blidworth aged 50 in 1946 | ||