Thank you to Jane Anthony for the following research.
Cadwallader James Ottley was born in Warnham, the son of Charles and Margaret Ottley of Percy Road, Horsham. Margaret had also been born in the Horsham area. His father had originated from Battersea and moved to the Horsham area to work as a carpenter when Christ’s Hospital School was being built. Cadwallader’s unusual first name is Welsh in origin but neither parent appears to have had a Welsh connection.
Cadwallader was the second son in a large family of twelve children, consisting of four boys and eight girls. His two oldest sisters, Maud and Evelyn, both lived to be over 100 and with the exception of Calwallader, all the children lived very long lives. The boys followed their father’s footsteps, and with the exception of the youngest son, became carpenters. The girls went into domestic service, apart from the eldest daughter Maud, who became a semi professional singer. Most of the children, including Cadwallader, were born when the family were living in Warnham, where Cadwallader is commemorated on the war memorial.
WESTHUMBLE MAN KILLED
Information has been received that Pte. James Ottley, 7th Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, was shot in the trenches on January 20th, and died within 3 minutes. Pte. Ottley’s home was at Goose Green, Horsham, and before enlisting just after the war broke out, he was employed in the gardens at Camilla Lacey, Westhumble.
James Ottley Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser findmypast.co.uk
Cadwallader enlisted in the Royal West Surrey Regiment at Guildford. At the time, he was working as a gardener at Camilla Lacey Lodge in Mickleham.
Cadwallder James Ottley was killed in action on 20th January 1916 and is buried at the Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel DeCourt France. Plot I. A. 32. The cemetery was begun by the 1st Norfolk Regiment in August 1915 and also used by other units until August 1916. After the Armistice it was nearly doubled in size when graves were brought in from the battlefields near by. Norfolk Cemetery contains 549 First World War burials, 224 being unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
| Born | Warnham, Sussex | |
| Son of | Charles and Margaret Ottley of Percy Road, Horsham | |
| Regiment | B Company. 7th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment | |
| Number | 2191 | |
| Date of Death | 20th January 1916 | |
| Place of Death | Somme, France | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 20 | |
| Cemetery | Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel DeCourt, France |
