Basil William Cotterell
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Basil was the son of Oscar Joseph and Alice T. Cotterell, of 341, Barnsley Rd., Sheffield. In 1901 the family lived at 345 Barnsley Road Brightside Bierlow Sheffield Oscar was a mining engineer. His wife Alice and five children , Alice, Gladys, Muriel, Doris and Basil William are all living at the address. However by the 1911 census Basil had left home to become a boarding student at St Cuthber'ts College Sparken Hill Worksop.
Basil enlisted in Sheffield on 22nd August 1916 and was placed into the 13th battalion, Training Reserve. He was mobilised on the 21st October 1916. He was promoted to lance corporal on 16th December 1916 and to corporal on 12th May 1917. On 30th October 1917 he was gazetted and commissioned into the 3rd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). He first entered a theatre of war in France on 7th September 1918. He was later attached to the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force where he served with 49th Squadron. He was killed in action on 30th October 1918 and is buried in Mons Bergen Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium, Grave Reference X C 2
The 49th Squadron Association website states that , while flying Aircraft DH 9 serial D502 it was shot down in flames near St Denis 30/10/18 (last WWI casualties). The Pilot 2/Lt B.W. Cotterell and Observer Sgt H.W. Gumbley were sadly killed in the action. he is buried in Mons Bergen Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium,
