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This data is related to World War 1
Corporal

Herbert Alfred Cottee

Service Number 10875
Military Unit 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
Date of birth Unknown
Date of Death 08 Jun 1915 (34 Years Old)
Place of Birth Swaffam Norfolk
Employment, Education or Hobbies He was a lace hand when he joined the army in July 1908.
Family History

Herbert Alfred Cottee was born in 1890 and was the son of Walter and his first wife, Mary Elizabeth Cottee née Yaxley.His father Walter was born in 1868 in Buttsbury, Essex, and his mother Mary Elizabeth Yaxley was born in 1866 in Swaffham. They were married in 1888 in Swaffham, and had five children: Herbert b1890, Daisy b1891, Ethel b1892, Lillian b1893 and Mabel b1895; all the children were born in Swaffham. His mother died in 1899 in Walsingham, Norfolk; she was 33 yrs of age. His father went on to marry Winifred Mary Southgate (b1877 Wells next the Sea, Norfolk) in 1900 in Walsingham. They had the following children: Girvan Edward b1901 Wells, Norfolk, Stanley b1905 Beeston, Nottingham, Ivor b1906 Nottingham and Doreen b1910 Nottingham. The family appears to have moved to the Nottingham area between the birth of Girvan who was born in 1901 in Wells next the Sea, and the birth of Stanley in 1905 in Beeston, Nottingham. In the 1911 census the family are living at 50 Willoughby Street, Lenton, and are shown as Walter 43 yrs a clerk, who is living with his second wife Winifred Mary 34 yrs and children Ethel 19 yrs a clerk, Girvan 10 yrs a scholar, Stanley 6 yrs, Ivor 5 yrs and Doreen 8 months. His father Walter died in 1911 in Nottingham; he was 44 yrs of age. After Herbert Alfred’s death his family lived at 65 Noel Street, Hyson Green.

Military History

Herbert enlisted at Nottingham on 7th July 1908. He gave his age as 18 yrs and 11 months, his address as 245a Ilkeston Road, Nottingham and his next of kin as his [step] mother Winifred Mary Cottee of the same address. He gave his occupation as that of lace hand. He stated he had seen service with the 7th battalion Sherwood Foresters. He was posted to the 1st battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment and saw service with them in India from 7th October 1909 until 2nd September 1914 when the battalion returned to England. He was promoted lance corporal on 3rd October 1914 shortly before going to France with his battalion on 4th November 1914. He was promoted corporal on 11th March 1915.Herbert received a gunshot wound to his scalp at Aubers Ridge on 9th May 1915 and was admitted to No 2 General Hospital at Boulogne. He died of his wounds on 8th June 1915 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery grave reference VIII.A.74.

Extra Information

additional research and information Peter Gillings

Photographs