Born at Bermondsey, Thomas was working as a general labourer when he attested as a Private in the 3rd Militia Battalion of the East Surreys at London on 16 February 1906, aged 17. He was issued with the regimental number 5074. Military life suited him, and on 29 September he re-engaged as a Regular soldier, on a Short Service Engagement, at London on 29 September 1906.
On completing his training at the Regimental Depot in Kingston-upon-Thames, Private Cornelius was posted to the 1st Battalion, which was stationed on Jersey, on 6 December. While stationed on the island, he found himself in trouble on three occasions. On 6 June 1907, Cornelius was charged with “neglecting to take proper care of his arms,” his rifle having a very dirty chamber and his bayonet was rusty. Found guilty, he was punished with ten days’ confinement to barracks. On 27 September, he was again charged with neglecting his rifle, which this time was found to have a corroded barrel. Again, Private Cornelius was punished with a further ten days’ confinement to barracks. The following year, on 6 June 1908, Private Cornelius was absent from Tattoo until 1.15 a.m. and again received ten days’ confinement as punishment.
On 17 September 1908, Private Cornelius was placed on a draft to the 2nd Battalion in India and served at Fort Dufferin in Mandalay, Thayetmyo and Shwebo. While stationed at Shwebo, Private Cornelius was again on a charge for neglecting his arms, being found to have a rusty rifle during his Company Commander’s inspection on 2 October 1911. Found guilty, he was sentenced to eight days’ confinement to barracks. While stationed in Burma, Private Cornelius served with the 2nd Battalion’s Pioneer Section for fifteen months, in the print shop for three years, and was awarded his 3rd Class Certificate in Education on 11 June 1910.
Thomas returned home in 1913 and on 1 December was transferred to the Army Reserve. His military character was described as “very good” and during his time in the Army he had passed a class of instruction on using the battalion’s printing press and intended to seek employment as a painter in civilian life.
Mobilised on the declaration of war, Private Cornelius was posted to the 1st Battalion at Dublin and embarked for France on board the S.S. Botanist on 13 August 1914. He landed at Le Havre two days later.
A photograph of soldiers of the 1st Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment, preparing defensive positions by the railway bridge at Les Herbieres, on the Mons-Conde canal, on the morning of 23 August 1914. The photograph was originally published in “I Was There” in 1939.
On 23 August, the 1st East Surreys were holding defence positions along the Mons Canal between the canal railway bridge near Les Hebrieres and the Ville Pomeroeul road. The battalion delayed the German advance until it was ordered to withdraw to the southern bank of the canal. On the troops crossing the bridges, these were destroyed by the Royal Engineers and the East Surreys withdrew to the south of Haine, before marching to Bois de Boussu. During the fighting of 23 August, the 1st East Surreys lost five Officers and 128 Other Ranks killed, wounded and missing.
Private Cornelius was among the soldiers reported as missing following the action, and his parents William and Alice, who lived at 69 Marigold Street in Bermondsey, were not officially notified that it was presumed that their son had been killed on 23 August 1914 until September 1915. The 1914 Star that their son had been posthumously issued with was sent by post on 21 July 1919.
Thomas Cornelius had been buried by the Germans at Hautrage, and on 9 February 1921 his remains were exhumed and identified by his regiment and number stamped on the peak of his Service Dress cap, which had been buried with him. He is buried at Hautrage Military Cemetery: Plot I, Row C, Grave 3. Thomas’s mother, who was illiterate, had received assistance to complete the form stating his surviving next-of-kin, which was dated 6 January 1920. At this time she was living at 16 Millstream Road in Bermondsey, but by the time that the Infantry Record Office at Hounslow was instructed to send any personal possessions, property and medals to her on 7 October 1921, Alice Cornelius had moved to 24 Paulin Street, off Abbey Street in Bermondsey.
OUR WAR 