Bernard Cundy
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Bernard was the son of Amos and Maria Sisling Cundy (née Kirby). Amos was born in Nottingham in 1857 and Maria also in Nottingham in 1858. They were married in 1879 (reg. Nottingham) and had nine children, eight of whom survived infancy. All the children were born in Nottingham: Percy b. 1880, Claude William b. December 1881, Lilian b. 1884, Leonard birth registered 1886 (J/F/M), Ernest b. 1888, Clara Maria b. 1891, Leslie birth registered 1894 (J/F/M) d. 1894 (J/F/M), Bernard birth registered. 1895 (J/F/M) and Florence b. 1899. In 1881, two years after their marriage, Amos a lace draughtsman, Maria a dressmaker, and their son Percy (1) were living on Corporation Road, Notitngham. They had moved to Portland Road, Nottingham, by 1891. Amos was now emplloyed as a lace designer and draughtsman. He and Maria had five children Percy, Claude (9), Lilian (7), Leonard (5) and Ernest (2). Clara was born later that year. Amos and Maria were still at 55 Portland Road in 1901 with their children Percy a lace draughtsman, Claude a manufacturer's clerk, Lilian, Leonard a litho printer, Ernest, Clara (9), Bernard (6) and Florence (2). A fifth son, Leslie, born in 1894, had died the same year. By 1911 the family was living at 37 Stratford Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham: Amos (53), a lace curtain designer and draughtsman (employer), Maria and five of their eight children, Claude a clerk in the hosiery business, Ernest a grocer's assistant, Clara Marie a pattern girl (lace manufacturer), Bernard a clerk (lace manufacturer) and Florence who was still at school. Also in the home was Amos and Maria's granddaughter, Ruth Marion Cundy (6) who was born in the USA. Ruth was the daughter of Percy and his first wife Urania (née Kershaw) whom he had married in New Jersey in 1903. Urania had died in about 1905, the year of her daughter's birth. Percy was recorded on the USA Federal Census of 1910. He made several voyages between America and the UK but returned to America in June 1916, later crossing the border to Canada where he was recorded on the 1921 Census of Canada. Ruth went out to Canda to join her father in Winnipeg in 1923. However, Percy was recorded on the USA Federal Census of 1940 and took US citizenship. He died in America in 1947. (For further information see:www.findagrave.com, Percy Cundy.) Lilian had married Walter Henry Morton, a lace merchant, in 1906 and in 1911 they were living on Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, with their son Ronald (4). Also in the household was Lilian's brother, Leonard, a telephone instrument fitter (Post Office), and his wife Rosetta Evelyn (née Wood) whom he had married in 1909. Rosetta died in May 1911. When Leonard joined the Territorial Force the following year he gave his address as Alfreton Road, Nottingham. Maria Sisling Cundy died in 1931 in Manitoba and was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Roland Pembina Valley. It is likely that this was where her son Percy, by now a minister, was living. Amos Cundy was living on Talbot Street, Nottingham, when he died in October 1939 (buried Southern Cemetery & Crematorium, West Bridgford). Four of the five brothers served in the war. Both Ernest and Bernard were killed in action on the Western Front in 1916 within three months of each other. Claude served in the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) as a second lieutenant/lieutenant. Leonard joined the Territorial Force in 1912 (Notts & Derby Regiment) but transferred to the Royal Engineers in 1913, embodied service from 5 August 1914, medically discharged 1915. (See 'Extra information') Their brother-in-law, Arthur D Noble, the husband of Clara Marie (m. 1914), served in the Army Service Corps Motor Transport (M2/634851); he was a chauffeur in civilian life. Arthur was discharged in May 1919.
21st (Service) Bn (Yeoman Rifles) King's Royal Rifle Corps. Formerly 9th (Service) Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps. Bernard enlisted in Nottingham and served initially in the 9th Bn King's Royal Rifles which was raised at Winchester in August 1914 and drafted to BEF France on 20 May 1915. According to the details on the medal rolls index card, Bernard served in France from 21 May 1915. He later transferred to the 21st Battalion which was raised in September 1915 from the farming communities of Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland by the Northern Command, but which did not serve in France until May 1916. The 21st Battalion was involved in the following actions immediately prior to Bernard's death: 14 September north of Delville Wood, 15 September Attack of Flers, 16 September in support line in north of Delville Wood, 17 September Dernancourt, early October Montauban, 7 October Attack of Bayonet Trench. Bernard was killed in action on 10 October 1916 but was initially reported missing and his death was not confirmed until April the following year. He is buried in the A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers, Somme, France (grave reference X.K.9). The history of the Burial Ground indicates that Bernard's grave was brought in after the Armistice. Bernard qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of AIF Burial Ground Flers (extract): 'The Burial Ground is is 2 kms north of the village of Flers. Flers was captured on 15 September 1916, in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, when it was entered by the New Zealand and 41st Divisions behind tanks, the innovative new weapons that were used here for the first time. The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of the following August by the 10th West Yorks and the 6th Dorsets of the 17th Division. The cemetery was begun by Australian medical units, posted in the neighbouring caves, in November 1916-February 1917. These original graves are in Plot I, Rows A and B. It was very greatly enlarged after the Armistice when almost 4,000 Commonwealth and French graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme, and later from a wider area [listed] ... The great majority of the graves in A.I.F. Burial Ground date from the autumn of 1916.' (www.cwgc.org)
Bernard's brother, Ernest, served in the 20th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps (9312 Sergeant) and was killed in action in France on 22 July 1916. He left a widow and infant son. (See record on this Roll of Honour). Claude William served as a lieutenant in the 17th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). Nottingham Evening Post, 14 December 1914. ‘Tales of the Trenches. Advertising an ‘Xmas Guardian’ with stories by favourite writers including [listed] … and a screamingly funny Xmas ghost burlesque in verse by Claude W Cundy illustrated by ‘T.F.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Leonard joined the Territorial Force (Notts & Derby Regiment) in May 1912, but transferred to the Royal Engineers (Southern Command Air Line Telegraph Company) in 1913 (712 Sapper, promoted L/Cpl May 1914). Embodied service from 5 August 1914. He was discharged 'being medically unfit for further miitary service' in July 1915. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 18 April 1917: Cundy. Missing since October 7th (sic), 1916, now reported killed, Lance-Corporal Bernard Cundy, KRR, 46, Mayfield-grove, late of West Bridgford, aged 21. Deeply mourned.’ (www.britishnewspaperachive.co.uik) Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 22 July 1918: “CUNDY. – In loving memory of our dear boys, Sergt. Ernest and Lance-Cpl. Bernard Cundy, killed in action July and October, 1916. The supreme sacrifice. – Mother, sisters, and brothers.” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his mother Maria Sisling Cundy was his sole legatee. Peter Gillings
