Name
Joseph Corkett
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14707
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX
I. E. 8
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin(*1), Not on the Town Hall Memorial, Hitchin(*1)
Pre War
Jospeh (junior) was born around 1893 in Hitchin and his parents were Joseph and Emily Corkett (née Wingrave)
In 1901 the family were living at 8 Sunnyside, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Joseph (35) and Emily (32) with Joseph and working as a bricklayer’s labourer. Their children were: May (10), Joseph (8), Ethel (6), Rose (4) and Violet (2).
By 1911 the family were living at 50 Hitchin Hill, Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents, with Joseph still working as a labourer in the brick trade. The census recorded they had been married for 20 years with 9 children of whom 2 had died. All the children listed above were present except Ethel and Rose. Joseph now 16, was working in a factory. New siblings were Bert (10) and Leonard (4).
Before joining the army he had worked in Letchworth and played for the St. John's Football Club. He was born and resident in Hitchin, enlisted there.
Officially Joseph was recorded as born. Living and enlisting in Hitchin, Herts.
Wartime Service
Joseph was allocated the Regimental Number 14707. He served in the 7th Battalion of the Bedfords which was part of the 54th Brigade of the 18th (Eastern) Division of the VII Corps in the 3rd Army. Landing in France on 17 August 1915. He died in France having been brought to a field hospital suffering from a severe wound in the abdomen and he died the same evening.
He was almost certainly wounded in the Somme sector between Arras and the River Ancre. This was during the Third Battle of the Scarpe and was considered by the British to have been one of the blackest days of the war. The 18th Division had been brought into the line opposite Cherisy. Zero hour was 3.45am when the British attacked, an engagement which was described as “one bloody great balls up". No one knew what they were supposed to be doing and it was the old story of uncut wire and unrelenting German machine-gun fire. It was pitch dark when the British attacked on the opening of their barrage, which commenced badly being irregular. There was a ground mist in the low-lying ground, touch and direction were lost and there were large gaps in the line. They were attacking in extended order about twelve paces apart, which meant that they could hardly see each other. The attack was a disaster with 14 officers and 242 other ranks from the Bedfords alone lost in the one day. Problems were aggravated by the Division on the right of the 18th not having synchronised their watches with the 18th, causing the Battalion to lose direction. Also three of the four tanks allotted to assist, failed to do so. The uncut wire was in front of Fontaine Trench.
Additional Information
In the ‘Herts Express’ dated 19th September 1914 his name is spelt ‘CAWCUTT’.
*1 The Hitchin Town Memorial and the St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), suggest that Joseph had been awarded a Military Medal, however we have yet to find any supporting evidence and we believe these to be errors. The names recorded do commemorate Joseph Corkett, but it neither should not have 'MM' recorded against them. It appears to be a case of mistaken identity, the Bedfordshire War Diary for the 2nd Battalion, records that a Pte. 17674, 'James' Corkett received a Military Medal, he also had Hitchin connections and was married to Lillian Corkett of 29 Old Park Road and, we believe, survived the war. For reasons unknown it would appear that these two men have become confused, possibly because of the name J Corkett being listed on the Town Hall Memorial. The Town Hall Memorial records the names of the Hitchin men who received honours, and they did not necessarily die in the war. The man listed on that memorial is James, not Joseph, Corkett.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
