249686 Pte. Percy David Frederick Cornford British Army 22nd Battalion London Regiment from:Hampstead, London (d.27th May 1918) Percy Cornford was born in Westgate on Sea in 1884, second son of David (b 1854) and Fanny Cornford (nee Gardner). He was brought up in Margate/Ramsgate Kent.
He was killed in action in France on the night of the 26th/27th of May 1918, and is buried in Bavelincourt Communal Cemetery, Somme. He is buried close to the furthest advance gained by the Germans in their last great Spring offensive of March 1918, which was stopped a month later just short of Amiens and a few miles west of the River Ancre. At the time he was killed, he was serving as a Private, No 698137, with the 1st/22nd (Queens) Battalion, London Regiment.
Although the advance towards Amiens had petered out by the end of April, the Germans made numerous local attacks on the line. Early on May 27th however, they launched a fresh attack on the Marne, 40 miles to the S East. As was usual, to confuse the enemy and prevent reserves being moved, they would have bombarded other areas of the front line and made attacks on the opposing trenches.
The 22nd's War Diaries say that on 26th of May 1918, A and B Companies were moved forward to the Echuca and Nine Elms trenches, with patrols sent out from midnight to 2am. Enemy machine guns very active. On May 27th the situation had returned to normal. Presumably Percy was killed that night although the war diaries do not contain any other details, and the usual letter to relatives from each casualty's CO has disappeared.
The 22nd Londons commanded by Lt Col C J Salkeld Green MC, were one of three infantry battalions making up 142nd Infantry Brigade, in turn one of three infantry and one artillery brigades forming the 47th Division which, at that time, was commanded by Major General G F Gorringe.
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