Armadale & District Roll of Honour 1914 - 1919

Peter arrived in France with the 8th Battalion Royal Scots on the 5th November 1914, and this is confirmed on his Medal Index Card. His medal index card shows he was entitled to the Military Medal, 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Peter was awarded the Military Medal for his Gallantry during the British Spring Offensive 1917.

Medals that were awarded to Cpl Peter Cornwall MM 8th Royal Scots

Battalion War Diary for the 5th October states:

“Afternoon the Commanding Officer presented awards gained by NCO’s and men of the Battalion since the spring offensive of 1917 Commenced.

Peter’s award of the Military Medal was announced in the 12 December’s edition of the London Gazette 1917.

Peter was Killed on the 21st March 1918, this was the first day of the German Spring Offensive of 1918, also know as the “Kaiser’s Battle”.

The incident in which Peter was killed was included in the War Diary kept by Pte James Marchbank MM, 8th Royal Scots:

“21st   Enemy opened a barrage at 3am using gas (in Bed). At 6am left billets at Beugny and went to Sunken Road near the railway, to the right of the Corp line. There were many casualties here: Cpl Cornurel (Newtongrange), Willie Scott (Bonnyrigg), Sergeant Blyth, Jonny Willis and a great many more Wounded. 8 killed in all.”

Peter's obituary as it appeared in the 1918 Dalkeith Advertiser.

“Private Peter Cornwall, Royal Scots was a son of Mr James Dickson Cornwall, Powdermill Cottages.

An employee at Arnsiton Colliery, previous to the outbreak of hostilities he served with the Dalkeith Territorial Company.

The call to arms found him ready and he rejoined his old company proceeding to France in November. He had passed unscathed through all the fighting till the recent battle.

He won the Military Medal for bravery last year.

He was the first in his Battalion and the first Gorebridge District lad to receive the bombers badge for proficiency expertness."

The memoriam notice is from the Dalkeith Advertiser of March, 1919 and was entered by a young lady grieving for Peter.

In Loving Memory of Cpl Peter Cornwall, MM, 8th Royal Scots, killed in action in France, 21st March 1918.

The battle storm for him is past,

The murder zone, the poison cloud,

Far from his home he rests at last,

The soldier’s garb his funeral shroud,

No sculptured stone may mark the spot,

It may be in the sun, or Shade –

Imaginary, all we’ve got

Of where my dear Peter’s laid.

Inserted by his sorrowing sweetheart, Annie Johnstone, 91 Fellows Road, South Hampstead, London, NW3