The 2nd Battalion arrived at Rouen on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 107th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division. Samuel arrived in France on the 06/10/1915 with the 11th (Service) Battalion (South Antrim Volunteers) Royal Irish Rifles, then was part of the 14th (Service) Battalion (Young Citizen Volunteers) Royal Irish Rifles (Both these Battalions disbanded on 18/02/1918). Samuel was part of the 2nd Battalion when he was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Advance in Flanders, 18th August - 6th September 1918 : Second and Fifth Armies begin operations in the Lys valley, recapturing the ground lost in April 1918. On the 09/08/1918 the Battalion were based at La Manche Copse. They held the support line from Fontaine Rock on the right to Ermitage on the left. On the 18/08/1918 (the day Samuel fell) the Battalion were holding the front line at the left brigade sector. On this date the line was heavily shelled. SEE PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY JUNE - AUGUST 1918, PHOTOS x 8 FOR THE 36th (ULSTER) DIVISION BOOK JULY - AUGUST 1918, PHOTOS x 6 ON THE 9 MEN OF THE 36th (ULSTER) DIVISION AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS FROM 1916 - 1918 and a PHOTO OF THE MEMORIAL TO THE 36th (ULSTER) DIVISION AT THIEPVAL (from the Divisions book). Samuel is listed as PRIVATE and CORDINER on the Coatbridge Memorial. Samuel is also listed as CORDINER on his Headstone and Medal Index Card. This is incorrect. The family name is CORDNER. See Newspaper clipping for Captain Harold Spencer Bally's letter to Samuel's wife (He was a Reverend in the Church Army). Samuel and his brother George are both listed on the Lisburn War Memorial (see photos). Main grave photo, 2 additional grave photos and 2 Bertenacre Military Cemetery photos kindly donated by my friend in France Thierry Dericbourg. Additional grave photo 3 kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. Huge thanks to my good friends Mark Gallaher, Ken Murphy and Ray Stewart who helped me with the Lisburn War Memorial photos. See photos for Samuel's Medal Index Card, his name on the Ireland Casualties WW1, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, the family listed on the 1901 Ireland Census, the family listed on the 1911 Ireland Census, Samuel's Pension Records x 4, his brother George's Pension Records x 3, Newspaper clippings x 2 from the Coatbridge Express 02/10/1918, the 36th (Ulster) Division Order of Battle x 14 (the Division Samuel was with when he fell), Bertenacre Military Cemetery x 2 and 3 additional photos of Samuel's Headstone. Also see photos for Samuel's brother George's Medal Index Card, his name on the Ireland Casualties WW1, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Newspaper clippings x 3 (Belfast Newsletter x 2 and Lisburn Standard x 1), photos x 4 of George's grave in Lisburn Cemetery where I personally placed a Poppy Cross accompanied by 2 Poppies in June 2025 (one representing George and the other his brother Samuel who lived in Coatbridge), another photo of George's grave, Lisburn War Memorial (Lest We Forget Poppy placed by myself in June 2025) x 2, myself at the Lisburn War Memorial, Poppy placed at the names of Samuel and his brother George on the Lisburn War Memorial, myself pointing at the Poppy placed at the names of Samuel and his brother George on the Lisburn War Memorial in June 2025 and the Royal Irish Rifles Cap Badge (representing the brothers Cordner).
