Stephen Cockshutt

Age 19        Single

Gunner 161975
Royal Field Artillery

Transf. to Pte. (437534)
559^th Agricultural Coy, Labour Corps

Died due to an accident on
Monday 18^th March 1918

Stephen was born in Sabden and lived with his parents, William and Clara at 10 Whins Avenue, Sabden.  He attended the Baptist Church and Sunday School and was educated at the County School.  His first job was as a warehouseman at Messrs J Stuttard and Sons, Cobden Mill, Sabden. 

Stephen, who walked with a limp, first applied to join the army early in 1915 but was refused.  He re-applied and was rejected  two more times until in October 1916 on his fourth attempt he was accepted into the Royal Field Artillery and was sent out to France in July 1917.  In January 1918, he was transferred into the 559^th Agricultural Coy, Labour Corps and in August of the same year was sent back to England to a firm of motor engineers and became a tractor driver on agricultural work. 

Stephen had been working at Leominster, Herefordshire for three months when his parents received an official telegram informing them that their son had been involved in a fatal accident whilst ploughing at Leominster. 

Mr and Mrs Cockshutt attended Stephen’s inquest where it was learnt that whilst lubricating the tractor engine, which was running, his jacket was caught in a fly-wheel and he was thrown into the engine and killed instantaneously. 

Stephen’s parents returned home with his body and he was buried at Accrington Cemetery.

In Sabden he has been remembered on both the School and Church Plaques.