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In memoriam

Private Frederick Thomas Cordwell

 

 

Frederick Thomas Cordwell was born on 19 March 1887 at Horfield, Bristol, England, son of Thomas Cordwell, a retired sergeant of the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, and his wife, Gibraltar-born Anne Jane Cordwell (nee Hearson).

In twenty-one years of service with the 28th, Sergeant Cordwell had seen service in many locations across the world, including in Ireland, where two of Frederick's older siblings were born.

By 1911 Frederick Cordwell was living in Ireland, boarding at Magdala Street in Belfast and working as publishing office clerk.

He enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 30 September and 5 October 1916 (No.2284), and was sent to France as a reinforcement for the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment the following year.

On 19 September 1917, while the regiment was billeted on farmland west of Poperinghe in Belgium, Cordwell was accidentally drowned while watering the horses.

He is buried in the Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, grave II.H.27. The gravestone inscription reads:

2284 TROOPER
FREDERICK T.CORDWELL
NORTH IRISH HORSE
19TH SEPTEMBER 1917

FATHER
IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING
LEAVE WE NOW
THY SERVANT SLEEPING

 

Original wooden cross over Cordwell's grave

 

Private Cordwell's memorial plaque

 

 

Gravestone mages Copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy. For the images of Cordwell's temporary gravesite and memorial plaque, my sincere thanks to Dr John Cordwell, Private Cordwell's nephew.