Clifford Laurence Cornelius

Private Clifford Laurence Cornelius – London Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Own Civil Service Rifles), 15^th Battalion

Early Life and Family

Clifford Laurence Cornelius was born in 1896, the son of Thomas Cornelius and Mary Ellis.

1891 Census

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

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, Thomas had moved his family into the home of his in-laws, John and Margaret Ellis, at 1 Victoria Terrace, Uplands. John worked as 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, then 14, was working as a clerk, while Gladys helped at home. Their grandfather, John, by then 68, continued to work as a gardener, providing a measure of stability for the family.

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.

He initially served on home duties in Britain until June 1916, before being sent to France, where he remained until November of that year. In August 1917, Clifford was posted to Salonika, before eventually returning to Britain.

Clifford’s time on active duty was difficult. He was gassed twice, and by February 1918, his health had been so badly affected that he was discharged from the army. Determined to return to normal life, he resumed his pre-war occupation as a clerk with the Swansea shipbroker John Bevan.

The Civil Service Rifles

The 15^th Battalion, London Regiment, popularly known as the Civil Service Rifles, was a Territorial unit composed largely of clerks and office workers from London’s civil service. Despite their civilian backgrounds, they earned a reputation as a determined and capable battalion.

During the First World War, the Civil Service Rifles served in some of the most demanding theatres. They fought on the Western Front, taking part in major battles such as Loos (1915), the Somme (1916), and Passchendaele (1917). Later, detachments were deployed to other fronts, including Salonika, where Clifford himself served. Like many Territorial units, they suffered heavy losses, with many men killed, wounded, or left with long-term health problems — Clifford among them.

Final Days

South Wales Daily Post

Although discharged, Clifford’s health never recovered from the effects of gas. On 14^th December 1918, just a month after the Armistice, he died at his home, 38 Coed Seasons, Sketty. He was only 22 years old.

Clifford Laurence Cornelius
St. Paul's church

The South Wales Daily Post reported his passing, noting his war service and the sorrow felt in his community. His funeral took place at Wesley Chapel, and he was laid to rest in St. Paul’s Churchyard, Sketty, where his grave can still be visited today.

Legacy

Unlike many of his comrades, Private Clifford Laurence Cornelius did not fall on the battlefield but died from the effects of his wartime service soon after returning home. His sacrifice is honoured on the Sketty Methodist memorial and the St. Paul’s Church war memorial, standing as a reminder that the cost of war was borne not only at the front but also in the lasting injuries and shortened lives of those who returned.