COTTON, Malcolm John Bernard
| Service Number: | 24 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia, 10 November 1894 |
| Home Town: | East Maitland, Maitland Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Maitland Boys High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Public Service clerk |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Pozieres, France, 24 July 1916, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, East Maitland St. Peter's Anglican Church Captain Malcolm Cotton Memorial Plaque, Maitland High School Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 24, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 24, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 24, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 24, 2nd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 4 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 8 Aug 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli, GSW (head and legs) | |
| 28 Jan 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 16 Apr 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 24 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1916-07-24 |
Help us honour Malcolm John Bernard Cotton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Malcolm John Bernard COTTON was born in 1894 in Wilcannia near Cobar NSW
His parents were James COTTON and Ada Ruth SPARKE
He had previous service in the Cadets and the Commonwealth Military Forces when he enlisted with the Australian Army on 18th August 1914 - 2nd Battalion, A Company - Unit embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Suffolk on 18th October 1914 - He was a Colour Sergeant with A Company and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant at Gallipoli on 4th August 1915. He was wounded in action four days later and evacuated to Cairo hospital for medical treatment. He recovered from his wounds and rejoined his unit on 12th October 1915. Later while serving in France he was promoted to Captain on 16th April, 1916 and was then killed in action at Poziers on 24th July 1915. His name is inscribed on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial, France with others who have no known grave.
Newspaper article about his death (trove.nla.gov.au)
Sydney Morning Herald - 16th August, 1916
Captain M J COTTON - Captain Malcolm J Cotton, son of Mr. James Cotton stock inspector of the Maitland district was killed in action in France on July 24. Captain Cotton was a native of Cobar and was 21 years of age. He was educated in the Maitland Boys High School and prior to enlistment was engaged in the Public Service as a temporary clerk at Newcastle. He went away as a Sergeant. His brother Trooper Kenneth Cotton is in Egypt.
"...24 Sergeant Major Malcolm John Bernard Cotton, 2nd Battalion from East Maitland, NSW and an unidentified sailor from the American Navy cruiser Caroline. A 19 year old public servant prior to enlisting in the AIF on 18 August 1914, Cotton embarked for overseas as a Colour Sergeant with A Company from Sydney on 18 October 1914 aboard HMAT Suffolk. After being promoted to Second Lieutenant at Gallipoli on 4 August 1915, he was wounded in action four days later and evacuated to Cairo hospital for medical treatment. He recovered from his wounds and rejoined his unit on 12 October 1915. Later while serving in France, he was promoted to Captain on 16 April 1916 and was then killed in action at Pozieres on 24 July 1916. His name is inscribed on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France with others who have no known grave." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
Click images to start slideshow.