Corderoy, WE
(1875 - 1917)
Key Facts
DATE OF BIRTH:
21st September 1875
YEARS ATTENDED THE COLLEGE:
1887 - 1891
HOME ADDRESS WHEN AT THE COLLEGE:
1 Cople Villas, Thurlow Park Road, West Dulwich
REGIMENT
York and Lancaster Regiment
FINAL RANK:
Lieutenant
DATE OF DEATH:
9th October 1917
AGE AT DEATH:
42
WHERE HE DIED (or was wounded)
Ypres
LOCATION OF GRAVE OR MEMORIAL:
Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 125 to 128.
Lieutenant William Edward Corderoy
Born on September 21st 1875, William was the eldest of four children of merchant Clement Corderoy and his wife Lucy, and the first of three Corderoy boys to attend the College. After leaving Dulwich he at first joined Thomas Cook, before serving as a courier, and then finally becoming a war correspondent for the Daily Chronicle. In September of 1904 he married Charlotte Coleman at Southwark, but otherwise, as a result of his employment, spent large parts of this period travelling the globe – indeed it was said that he had “knocked about the world more than most men”. He was helped in this travel by a talent for languages, indeed he was said to be fluent in as many as eight languages.
In July 1915 William volunteered for the Armed Forces, signing up as a member of the Royal Army Service Corps, with whom he spent the better part of two years, before, on May 10th 1917, taking a position as a Lieutenant in the York and Lancaster Regiment. It was whilst serving with his new regiment in France that, on 9th October 1917, he was killed in action. He was survived by his widow Charlotte and daughter Elsa. It is worth noting that he is listed as a Private on the CWGC.
