Clifford Clarence Cousins
The soldier:
Clifford Clarence Cousins enlisted into the army on the 26th August 1915 in Mill Hill, Hendon, London. He was initially assigned to the Middlesex Regiment and given regimental number G/17143, but he was soon transferred to the London Regiment and given regimental number 702775.
Upon enlistment Clifford gave his occupation as ‘shoeing smith’ and his address as 37, The Burrows, NW4. He also gave his age as 19 years and 30 days. However, he was actually 15 at the time and too young to legally enlist. This goes someway to explain his slight frame, described in his enlistment medical.
Clifford left England via Southampton with comrades on the 29th July 1916 arriving in Le Havre the following day.
He was ‘killed in action’ on Sunday the 9th December 1917 whilst serving as a Private in the London Regiment’s 1st/23rd Battalion. His body was never identified and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas De Calais, France (Bay 9 and 10). His name also appears on both Snettisham’s memorials and its ‘Roll of Honour’.
At the time of his death Clifford was only 18, having been in the army for over 3 of those years and actually at war for over 2.
Despite his young age, Clifford was clearly a very brave young man and effective soldier amongst his older comrades. He was awarded the ‘Distinguished Conduct Medal’ (DCM) – second only to the ‘Victoria Cross’ in terms of gallantry in battle. The citation published in the ‘London Gazette’ (4/3/1918) reading:
Pte. 702775 C. Cousins (Snettisham)
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a raid. Hearing that some of the enemy were in a dug-out were giving trouble he ran there. One of them threw a bomb, wounding him in the face, neck and shoulders, but he rushed at them with his rifle, bayoneted the first man and shot another, when the rest gave themselves up. He later brought back a machine gun.’
The man:
Clifford Clarence Cousins was born on the 29th August 1899 in South Creake, Norfolk to Robert William and Emily (nee Sandell) Cousins who had married on the 4th September 1898.
He was born with a twin brother, Claude Reginald. However, he sadly did not survive and died on the 8th October 1900.
Emily was 40 and had been previously married at 19 to John Thomas Vincent. John died in September 1889 at the young age of 30, leaving Emily as a widow with several children, all Clifford’s older half-siblings on his mother’s side; Ardwell Arnold (born 1879), Alica Alberta (born 1881), Gertrude Louise (born 1882), John Thomas (born 1884), Victor Valentine (born 1886) and Robert William (born 1887).
Robert had also been previously married, to Sarah Cousins (nee Anderson). Sarah died on the 14th October 1896 in South Creake, aged 41 leaving Robert as a widower with Louisa (born 1878), Alice (born 1881), William (born 1884), John (born 1887) and Fred (born 1890) all Clifford’s older half-siblings on his father’s side.
Clifford was baptised on the 8th October 1899 in South Creake, Norfolk.
By the 1901 Census the family were living in Church End, South Creake, Norfolk. Robert was now 45 and his occupation was listed as ‘Teamster on Farm’. Emily was present and Clifford’s older siblings from both his parents previous marriages; William Cousins, Victor Vincent, John Cousins, William Vincent and Frederick Cousins also lived with him. Clifford was listed as one years old. William and Victor were also shown working as ‘Teamsters on farm’ whilst the younger William and Frederick were shown as working as ‘agricultural labourers’.
On the 29th August 1901, Emily gave birth to Clifford’s younger brother Claude Reginald (named after the previously lost twin). This Claude lived until 1970.
By 1908 the family had moved to Snettisham, Norfolk. Both Clifford and Claude were enrolled in Snettisham School (still the Village Primary School) on the 14th October. Both remained for their entire schooling, Clifford leaving on the 1st August 1913 upon reaching the ‘age limit’ and Claude leaving on the 19th June 1916 for the same reason.
By the 1911 Census the family were living at Inmere Farm Cottage, Snettisham. Robert was 56 and now a ‘Farm Baliff’, Emily was present along with William, Clifford and Claude, all of the older Vincent and Cousins children having now left home. Robert’s father also called Robert aged 83 was living with the family as a ‘widower’.
On the 6th October 1913, Clifford’s mother Emily died in Snettisham at the age of 54. Clifford was 14 and had only just left school.
Of note is the fact that in Clifford’s army records, Louisa Vincent’s home address (his older maternal half-sister) is given as 37, The Burrows, Hendon, NW4 the same address as he enlisted from. His father Robert, Emily and several siblings from both previous marriages are also listed, tying Clifford Clarence Cousins DCM to Snettisham and this family beyond any doubt.
Following his death Clifford Clarence Cousins personal effects and medals were forwarded to his father, Robert.
picture: Clifford Clarence Cousins’ mother Emily (nee Sandell) with thanks to cj spinks – ancestry.co.uk
