Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The son of William Swinfen Cottrell and Harriette Annie Cottrell nee Evans of Caeran, Shirenewton, Chepstow. His father was a solicitor. Fothergill was their youngest child. He had older siblings: Olive born 1879, Vincent Swinfen 1880–1956, John Swinfen 1881–1963, Irene1884–1977, George Swinfen 1886–1960

Fothergill attended Shrewsbury School in School House. He left Shrewsbury in 1909. His father William died in 1910 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Fothergill is shown in the 1911 census in Elstead Surrey where he is a student of agriculture.

He emigrated aboard the Otway on 6 February 1912 to Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.

He served in the Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 11th Bn Service Number: 288. He enlisted in the AIF on 2nd September 1914 at Blackboy Hill, W.A. He enlisted and served under alias of William Cottrell though his name was Fothergill. His occupation at the time of enlistment was of a farmer with the address of Ongerup, Western Australia.

His war record gives details of his physical appearance: He was 5 foot 91/4 inches tall and weighed 148 libs. He had a dark complexion, dark brown hair and green eyes. He had a snake tattoo on his right forearm and a scar from the removal of his appendix.

Fothergill embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 31 October 1914

He was killed in the charge at Anzac , Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. They never found his body and the Red Cross pursued enquires with his comrades to gather information. The fact that he was sometimes known as William rather than Fothergill caused confusion at this stage with conflicting reports. Some said that he had been injured and was in hospital, and some that he was killed outright in the charge.