George Thomas Cornford (known
as Tom), was born in Chailey in 1896. He appears on the 1901 census living at
Spenses Farm, Chailey with his family. The household comprised Henry Cornford
(head, married, aged 33, working as a carter on a farm), his wife Ellen Maria Cornford (aged 29), four children and Henry’s
parents. The children were: John Henry Cornford (aged 11), William Trayton Cornford (known as Trayton rather than William, aged nine), Tom (aged four) and an adopted son, Edward Mitchell, aged 11. Henry’s parents are noted as John Cornford, aged 73 but still working as an agricultural labourer,
and Caroline Cornford aged 70.
At some point prior to the
First World War, the family had moved away from Sussex and Trayton, Tom and their father had been working at Warfield Hall
in Berkshire, home to General Brownlow between 1890 and his death in 1916. Here
they had helped train horses.
Tom’s service record
has not survived but he enlisted on 10th September 1914, probably at Roeheath, Chailey and probably with his brother Trayton. Trayton would be killed on 18th November 1916 whilst serving with the King’s
Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and his entry in the Book of Remembrance in York Minster notes, “formerly 4217
Corps of Lancers”. It is likely that Tom’s service number was close
to his brother’s.
By the time Tom went to France
however, he had transferred with Trayton to the KOYLI and been given the number 23220 (Trayton’s number was 23219). These numbers were not issued until May 1915 and so it seems likely that Trayton and
Tom were both at the regimental depot in Pontefract at this time.
The brothers arrived in France on 13th July 1915 and, as already mentioned, Trayton
was killed the following year whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion. In 1917,
Tom transferred to the Manchester Regiment, joining the 1/10th Battalion and being given the number 376983. The 1/10th was a territorial battalion and the new six digit number indicates that he must have joined
this in February 1917 or later (prior to this and the old four digit number would have shown on his medal card).
In 1918 Tom Cornford was
awarded the Military Medal for “conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. During
the period 6th to 8th Nov 1918, this mounted orderly performed valuable service to his Battalion in carrying messages. On several occasions he had to pass through very heavy shelling, yet through his untiring
energy he never failed to deliver a message.” The citation was signed by
Major General Arthur Solly-Flood CB, CMG, DSO, commander of the British 42nd Division.
After he was demobbed in
1919, Tom worked on a farm in Oxfordshire and then moved back to his place of birth, probably prior to June 1922, working
for Captain Charles Hext Cotesworth at Roeheath. He married Elsie Mary Clinkard
in August 1926 and in April 1930 the couple’s son Stanley was born.
Tom Cornford died on 2nd
October 1933 after, according to one of his obituaries, an illness of two years. The
obituary read:
“The funeral took place
at St Peter’s Church, Chailey, yesterday (Thursday) of Mr George Thomas Cornford of Lower Lodge, Roeheath, Chailey,
who died at the Robertsbridge Sanatorium on Monday aged 37 years. He was ill
for over two years but did not cease work until three weeks ago. For ten years
he was employed by Captain C H Cotesworth and, prior to that, by Mr J G Harmer of Cooksbridge.
He served in the Army in France and Egypt during the war and gained the Military Medal.
He was a member of the Newick Branch of the British Legion and leaves a widow and one son.”
Tom’s cause of death
was noted as miliary and pulmonary tuberculosis although his wife was convinced that it was the result of being gassed during
the war.
Sources and Acknowledgements
-
The National Archives:
Medal Index Card
-
1901 Census for England
and Wales
-
Tom Cornford's son Stan
Cornford with whom I have communicated over many weeks and who kindly sent me much information and privately published family
histories detailing the Cornford brothers' war service.
