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Pte John Gleave Cotterill
British Army 16th Btn. B Company Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Bollington
(d.1st April 1917)
100 years on to the day John Cotterill died, I attended his grave at Savy British Cemetery near St. Quentin, France. I know everything about his life, I know it was a cold wintery day when he died, cut down by machine-gun fire. Unfortunately there are no known photos.
He was was born in his grandparents house in High Street, Bollington on 26th of April 1881. On the 1891 Census, he is living in Water Street, Bollington. Aged 9 and a Scholar On the 1901 Census, living in Water Street, Bollington. aged 19, John is single and a Cotton Piecer In May 1904 he is aged 23 and Living at 22 Water Street, Bollington and was a Cotton Operator according to his own wedding certificate. His son William was born in 1906 when he was living at 8 Mount Street, Hurst, Ashton-Under-Lyne and working as a Cotton Self-Actor Minder. In 1908 when his daughter Lily was born he was living at 1 Bright St, Droylsden. On the 1911 Census, he is living at 28 Wharf Street, Droylsden. Aged 29 and a Cotton Spinner. Married for 7 years, he signed the census form. A son John was born at 17 Mees Square, Barton Eccles in 1912, Father John was a Labourer in Iron Foundry
On the 6th of November 1914, John enlisted into 16th Battalion (2nd Salford Pals) Lancashire Fusiliers. In February 1915, his unit moved to Conway, North Wales For Training. and on the 23rd of November 1915 his unit moved to France were he served until his death. On the 1st of July 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, they attacked Leipzig Redoubt near Thiepval. Attacks by the 15th and 16th Lancashire Fusiliers (the first and second Salford pals) and by the 16th Northumberland Fusiliers on Thiepval itself achieved nothing except to cover the ground with corpses. As even the British official history observed, 'Only bullet-proof soldiers could have taken Thiepval this day'. On the 23rd of November 1916 they took part in the attack on Beaumont Hamel.
On the 1st of April 1917 John was killed in action near Savy Wood, St Quentin, France, Aged 35, a private in The Lancashire Fusiliers, Regimental No 11552 (Death Certificate). His body was exhumed in 1920 and moved four and a half miles Savy British Cemetery, "west south west of St Quentin" as quoted in a letter from the war office.
