Cpl 17180 Arthur William Stanley Cork

• Age: 26
• From: Sanctoria, West Bengal
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 18th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Dartmoor Cem, Becordel-becourt
  Panel Ref: II.D.80

Arthur William Stanley Cork was born on the 10^th June, 1890 in Sanctoria, West Bengal India and was baptised on the 24^th August, 1890 in Raniganj, Bengal. He was the son of Frederick Lawrence and Maria (nee Burgess) Cork who were married on 29th Oct 1884 at St James, Audley, Staffs.

Upon his return to England he was residing in Hanley, Staffordshire. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at Cinderhill House, Longton, Stoke upon Trent. His father Frederick Lawrence (Senior) is aged 45, born in 1856 in Audley, Staffordshire and is an unemployed colliery manager, whilst his mother Maria is aged 45, born 1856 in Audley, Staffordshire. They have six children in the household, all born in Bengal; Frederick junior, born 1886, Frank, born 1887, Harry, born 1889, Arthur, born 1891, Herbert, born 1892, and Winifred aged 6, born 1895. They also have, Phyllis Rhodes, a domestic servant aged 19, born Staffordshire also living at the address.
 
Arthur was educated from 1902 at Hanley Higher Grade Board School (Boys) School. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Longfield House, 25 Bucknall New Road, Hanley, Staffordshire but Arthur is not present. His father Frederick L. is aged 55, and is again shown as an unemployed colliery manager, whilst his mother, Maria, is aged 55. They have been married for 26 years and have had six children of whom 4 have survived. Those children resident at the property are; Frank P. 24 and an electrical engineer, and Winifred 16. They also employ, Elizabeth Prince, a domestic servant aged 22, born 1889 in Cheadle, Staffordshire also living at the address.

Arthur enlisted on the 03^rd September, 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was aged 24 years and 60 days and gave his occupation as a Clerk. He was described as being 5 foot, three inches tall, weighed 126lbs, with a 36" chest. He had a fresh complexion, brown eyes, had dark hair and stated his religion as Church of England. He gave his father, Frederick, as his next of kin at Longfield House. Arthur advised had previously served with Civil Service Rifles, London and the 5^th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

01.11.15: Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

07.11.15: Embarked for France.

01.02.16: Appointed Lance-Corporal taken on pay of rank.

18.05.16: Attached to 30^th Division Grenade School.

02.07.16: Appointed acting Corporal.

06.07.16: Wounded in action with gunshot wound to his left knee.

07.07.16: Hospital Wimereux.

08.07.16: 1 Con Depot Bolougne.

10.07.16: Confirmed in rank of Corporal.

11.07.16: Discharge to Base Depot, Etaples.

12.07.16: Joined Battalion from Base Depot.

28.08.16: from 03.09.15 entitled to Proficiency Pay 

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Corporal No 17180 when he died of wounds on the 18th October 1916 aged 25 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

18^th Bn Diary

18^th October 1916

Attacked German trenches commencing 3.40 am. Relieved by 19^th Manchester Regt. Took up position in support Bn trenches W. of Goose Alley.

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals gives an overview of the events of the day:

“At 3.40 am the whistles blew, and the Battalion left its assembly trenches, in three waves, approximately fifty yards apart, and began to cross No Man’s Land. Almost immediately, the German Barrage fell on the first wave and halted its advance, so that the second wave soon caught up with it. This was not a great problem at first, and the two combined waves were able to advance together for about 300 yards, whereupon they encountered the German Grid Trench system. On the right of the advance, it was found that the wire was largely intact, apart from a few gaps, and the Germans bombed and machine gunned these gaps, which prevented any further progress. Elsewhere along the trench, however, the wire was cut and there did not seem to be any serious opposition. Nevertheless, the men hesitated to jump down into the German trenches, and instead, began to filter back across to the safety of their own lines.

By this time the third wave had caught up, as had a fourth wave, which had been detailed to mop up any opposition once the trenches had fallen, and all four waves became intermingled which added to the confusion. No less than three attempts were made to try to get the men to go forward again, but each attempt became markedly less successful than its predecessor, and eventually the attack came to a standstill. Although the British assembly trenches had received the attention of the German guns, the attackers in No Mans Land had not come under any great intensity of fire up until this point.

However, once it became obvious to the Germans that the attack was disorganised and faltering, they began to fire into the massed men from the flanks. It was probably this that finally settled the issue and convinced the Pals that they could no longer gain the enemy trenches, and all four waves, now merged into one, began to retreat to their own lines. The whole attack had been an abysmal failure, and no ground had been gained at all”.     

Arthur now rests at Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becort, France.

Dartmoor Cemetery was begun (as Becordel-Becourt Military Cemetery) in August 1915 and was used by the battalions holding that part of the line; its name was changed in May 1916 at the request of the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment. In September 1916, the XV Corps Main Dressing Station was established in the neighbourhood, but throughout 1917, the cemetery was scarcely used. It passed into German hands on 26 March 1918, but was retaken on 24 August by the 12th Division. There are five burials of August 1918, in Plot II, Row E. In adjoining graves in Plot I, Row A, are buried a father and son, who served in the same artillery battery, and were killed in action on the same day. Dartmoor Cemetery contains 768 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Arthur is commemorated on the Old Hanliensians WW1 war Memorial.

His father died in the March quarter of 1919, aged 63.

His mother died in the December quarter of 1930, aged 75. 

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