Clifford Laurence Cornelius

 The Final Losses: Remembering Stephen Lamont and Clifford Cornelius

Sketty Methodist Chapel

Stephen Lamont

The First World War ended on 11^th November 1918. Yet in the closing days of the conflict, men were still falling in battle, and others would die shortly after from the lingering effects of war. In Sketty, two names stand out among these final losses: Stephen Lamont and Clifford Laurence Cornelius. Their stories reflect both the immediate cost of the war and its lasting toll on families and communities.

Part One: Stephen Lamont

Stephen Lamont
Ors Communal Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Stephen Lamont was among the last Swansea men to be killed in the Great War. He died on 4^th November 1918, just a week before the Armistice, at the Battle of the Sambre, a fierce engagement fought along the River Sambre in northern France.

Lamont served with the Manchester Regiment, and he was not alone in his sacrifice that day. The battle also claimed the life of the renowned war poet Wilfred Owen, whose writings captured the grim reality of the trenches. Today, both Owen and Lamont lie side by side in Ors Communal Cemetery.

At home, Stephen’s name is inscribed on the Sketty Methodist Chapel war memorial, ensuring his sacrifice is remembered in his own community.

Part Two: Clifford Laurence Cornelius

Also named on the Sketty Methodist memorial is Clifford Laurence Cornelius, whose war ended not in the trenches but at home. Clifford’s story begins in 1896, when he was born to Thomas and Mary Cornelius (née Ellis).

Early Life and Family

1891 Census

The 1891 Census shows Thomas and Mary living at 1 Lewis Place, Sketty, with their young daughter Elsie. Thomas, then aged 28, was employed as a furnaceman. Tragedy struck in 1899 when Mary died, leaving Thomas widowed with small children.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, Thomas had moved with his children into the home of his in-laws, John and Margaret Ellis, at 1 Victoria Terrace, Uplands. John was a gardener, and the household also included several of the Ellis children. Among the grandchildren living there were Elsie, Dorothy, and the four-year-old twins, Clifford and Gladys.

1911 Census

A decade later, the 1911 Census records Clifford and Gladys still with their grandparents in Uplands. Clifford, now 14, was working as a clerk, while Gladys helped at home. Their grandfather John, by then 68, was still employed as a gardener, showing the stability the Ellis family provided for the children.

Military Service

Attestation Papers

On 1^st December 1915, Clifford enlisted in the London Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Own Civil Service Rifles), 15th Battalion, signing up for the duration of the war.

His service took him first to home duties in Britain until June 1916, then on to France, where he remained until November of that year. In August 1917, he was sent to Salonika, before eventually returning to Britain.

The strain of service left lasting scars. Clifford was gassed twice, and in February 1918, he was discharged from the army. Determined to return to normal life, he resumed his civilian job as a clerk with shipbroker John Bevan in Swansea, the same occupation he had held before the war.

Final Days

South Wales Daily Post

Sadly, the damage to his health proved too severe. On 14^th December 1918, just a month after the Armistice, Clifford died at his home, 38 Coed Seasons, Sketty. He was only 22 years old. His funeral took place at Wesley Chapel, and he was buried at St. Paul’s, Sketty, where his grave can still be visited today.

Remembering the Final Losses

Clifford Laurence Cornelius
St. Paul's church

The names of Stephen Lamont and Clifford Cornelius remind us that the impact of the First World War stretched beyond the Armistice. Stephen’s life was lost in the final week of combat, while Clifford’s death reflected the long shadow of war injuries and illness.

Both men are remembered on memorials in Sketty, their stories woven into the history of the community. Together with so many others, they represent the heavy price paid by families, friends, and neighbours whose lives were forever changed by the war.