Born: 19 April 1894
Died: 1 July 1916, Somme
Buried:
Address: 65 Mount Street, Eccleshill
Parents: George Herbert & Georgina
Spouse:
Siblings: Florence, Hilda, Ellen, John Henry, Annie
Occupation: Accountant’s clerk, Culiffe & Co Bradford
Organisations/clubs: Airedale Harriers; Ecccleshill Congs Sunday School
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park & St Luke’s; Thiepval Cemetery
Children:
Regiment: Bradford Pals
Herbert Cawthorne
Herbert Cawthorne was born on
19th April 1894 and baptised at All
Saints Church, Little Horton on
13th February 1895 the son of
George Herbert and Georgina
Cawthorne.
George was a warehouseman and
the family were living at 351
Bowling Old Lane.
In 1901 the family were living at
38 Peach Street, East Bowling and
George was working as a stuff
warehouseman. By 1911 the
family had moved to Eccleshill and
were living at 65 Mount Street.
George is still working as a stuff
warehouseman and Herbert, at 17
years, had found employment as an
Accountants Clerk.
He was a Congregational
scholar at Eccleshill and
a medallist of the
Airedale Harriers Club
and by 1914 he was
living with his family at
56 Mount Avenue. He
was employed at Messrs.
Cunliffe and Co. in
Aldermanbury, Bradford.
The 2nd Bradford Pals
were formed by the Lord Mayor
and city on 22nd January 1915 and
Herbert joined on the 4th March
1915 and became Private 18/449 of
the 18th Battalion of the West
Yorkshire Regiment.
On 17th of December
1915 the Brigade
departed Liverpool for
Egypt to guard the Suez
Canal but left on 6th
March 1916 when the
Brigade was transferred
to France as part of the
build up for the Somme.
On Saturday 1st July
1916 the attack opened
at 7.30am and the 18th
Battalion were slaughtered as soon
as they got on top of their trench,
including Herbert.
The 18th Battalion casualties of
more than 400 officers and men
represented some 70% of the
Battalion’s men who took part in
the assault. Herbert was 23 years
old.
He is remembered at the Thiepval
Memorial where the names of
officers and men who fell on the
Somme battlefields from July 1915
to February 1918 are recorded and
who have no known grave.
Herbert left his effects to his father
George who received £3.8.3d on
the 10th November 1916 and a War
Gratuity of £5.0.0d on the 2nd
August 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks.
