Description
Queen’s South Africa, 2 bars, Natal, Belfast, 4033 Sergeant J.B. Cornelius, Devonshire Regiment. Scarce entitlement of clasps.
Officially impressed: “4033 Sgt J.B. Cornelius. Devon: Regt”
Confirmed on the medal roll, an unusual combination of clasps earned with the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment.
Later earned a King’s South Africa Medal for service with 2nd Batt Devon Regiment.
James Bennallack Cornelius was born during 1866 in Dawlish, Devon.
Son of Robert Cornelius and Mary Ann Bennallack.
Shown on the 1871, 1881, 1891 Census living in Dawlish, Newton Abbott, Devon.
Shown as as an Errand Boy in 1881 and Surveyor in 1891.
Having done his service in South Africa, he re-enlisted for WW1.
Returning to be a Sergeant in his old unit the Devonshire Regiment from 6th Sept 1915 until 27th November 1918 when invalided and awarded an SWB, service number 18917.
However as an older veteran NCO he did not earn any medals, on the Silver War Badge, having likely remained at home on training duties, making this QSA his sole medal.
He died on 9th October 1926 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
You can view his handsome joint grave with his wife here:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149834237/james-b-cornelius
The bottom of his grave stone reads the following tribute to him:
“He is one dear sir(?) to sleep in peace. He fought for life and love with brave will. He suffered pain, he bore it well, only I knew who nursed him through”
He married Elizabeth Henniker during 1902.
However they look to have split up some time after the 1911 Census, she was shown living with her sister in 1921, and James was shown living in 1913 in Australia with Lily Winifred in 1913 and he went back to Australia in 1922 on his own.
He came to Australia some time after the Boer War, being shown on the 1913 Electoral Rolls as living at Darlinghurst Road, New South Wales.
He possible came all the way home to serve in the war with old unit, and returned to Australia in 1922?
They sailed for Sydney, Australia, on the P& Ship Beltana on 26th April 1922.
This was not his first time coming to Australia, he was noted as having possibly sailed there on the Garonne in March 1887.
