John Cudworth

Enlisted at Nottingham with the West Riding Regiment on 14 November 1904; in 1911 he was a bandsman serving with the the 1st Bn. West Riding Regiment based in India; appointed acting Lance Corporal on 17 January 1916; appointed Lance Corporal on 1 August 1918; promoted to Corporal 2 October 1916; on 13 October 1916 he suffered a gunshot wound to his right arm, a fracture of his lower jaw, and gunshot wounds to his lower abdomen; his right arm was amputated on 17 October 1916; but subsequently died of these wounds on 1st November 1916 at 11th Stationary Hospital Rouen; buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.

In a letter published on 22nd July 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post Pte. John Cudworth, 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), described his experiences of the attack on 1st July 1916. “NOT A LINE WAVERED. “NOTTINGHAM MAN'S MESSAGE. “Among the many units of the new army who have been participating in recent events, there fights a Nottingham man, who has shared in the great war since it started, Private J. Cudworth, son Mr. and Mrs. S. Cudworth, of 52, Grimston-road, Radford. “Pte. Cudworth was an army reservist, employed as a tram driver by the Nottingham Corporation, when war broke out, and promptly rejoined his regiment. He was in the march from Mons, but was wounded at La Bassee, and laid for a few weeks. From that time he has only had seven days' holiday. He has “tasted” the bayonet, gas, and liquid fire, but happily has never been sufficiently affected to necessitate his leaving France. “In a reference to the very severe task from which his regiment had just emerged, he writes: “The boys went over smiling. In fact, to see the attack it was more like a drill parade than anything I have ever seen. But there was not a waver in the line. It was a glorious sight to see the boys going forward. We lost a lot of our comrades, but everyone kept smiling. I was the only one of my section that came out without a scratch; but, thank God, they were only wounded, and I hope they are all back in dear old Blighty, getting the best of everything. For they deserve it and nothing could be too good for them.'' Obituaries published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 1st November 1917 “CUDWORTH. – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Corporal J. Cudworth, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who died of wounds in France November 1st, 1916. A light is from our household gone, a voice we loved is still, a place is vacant in our home that never can be filled. – From mother, father, sisters, and brothers. “CUDWORTH. – In affectionate remembrance of our dear brother, Corporal J. Cudworth, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who died of wounds in France November 1st, 1916. If we could have raised his dying head and heard his last farewell, the parting would not have been so hard from those who loved him well. – From [illegible] and Sam.” Above information and obituaries courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918