Name
Cecil James Cordell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265841
Hertfordshire Regiment
No. 4 Coy. 1st Bn.
4 Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Walkern War Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, Not on the Ardeley memorials
Pre War
He was the son of John Cordell of Bridge Foot Farm, Walkern near Stevenage, but born in Ardley (sic Ardeley) in Hertfordshire and lived in Walkern.
He enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
His regimental number was 3112, but was later renumbered to 265841. He served in 4 Company of the Regiment. He was killed in action.
On the day of his death, the 1st Herts were cut to pieces by shot and shell at St. Julien in the Ypres Salient. They had marched from Vlamertinge to their assembly position arriving by midnight on the 30th/31st July 1917. A general bombardment of the German Lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July and the Hertfordshires left their assembly position at 5.00am and captured St. Julien during the morning. Unfortunately, the promised supporting artillery barrage did not materialise as the guns could not be brought up due to the all-prevailing mud. By noon the Herts had crossed the Steenbeck stream and had come across unbroken wire that prevented any further advance. The German artillery and machine-guns decimated them and by the end of the day the Herts had virtually ceased to exist. Over half the fighting strength of the Battalion, including most of the officers, were killed or wounded in a single day.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 54 or 56 of the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
