John Travers Cornwell
Boy First Class, Royal Navy
- Register No.
- 256 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Boy First Class (register: First Class Boy) all Boy Seamans →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (register: HMS Chester) all HMS Chester VCs →
- Date of action
- 31 May 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 15th September 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 8th January 1900 at Leyton,. Essex
- Died
- 2nd June 1916. Grimsby, Lincolnshire
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Manor Park Cememtery, Forest Gate, Essex; Jack Cornwell Cottage Homes, Hornchurch, Essex; at Chester Cathedral on the HMS Chester memorial
Digest of citation
On 31 May 1916, at the Battle of Jutland, Boy First Class Cornwell of HMS Chester, was mortally wounded early in the battle, but remained standing alone at a most exposed post, quietly awaiting orders, until the end of the action, with the gun's crew dead and wounded around him
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CORNWELL, John Travers, (Reg. No. 256)
Boy First Class Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 15th September 1916.
Born on: 8th January 1900 at Leyton,. Essex.
Died on: 2nd June 1916. Grimsby, Lincolnshire.
Memorials at: Manor Park Cememtery, Forest Gate, Essex; Jack Cornwell Cottage Homes, Hornchurch, Essex; at Chester Cathedral on the HMS Chester memorial.
Digest of Citation reads: On 31 May 1916, at the Battle of Jutland, Boy First Class Cornwell of HMS Chester, was mortally wounded early in the battle, but remained standing alone at a most exposed post, quietly awaiting orders, until the end of the action, with the gun's crew dead and wounded around him.
From Alf's photographs
Cornwell VC Memorial - Hornchurch, Essex (gallery)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Manor Park Cememtery, Forest Gate, Essex; Jack Cornwell Cottage Homes, Hornchurch, Essex; at Chester Cathedral on the HMS Chester memorial
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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