Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Date Information
30/03/2020
30/03/2020
30/03/2020
30/03/2020
30/03/2020 The CWGC record Private Cotton as the son of William and Rachel Cotton of Beattie Street, Fielding, New Zealand. He is listed as having been being born at Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
30/03/2020 Private Cotton is also commemorated on Feilding War Memorial in New Zealand.
30/03/2020 ‘In loving memory of William Cotton died 11th January 1962; and Rachel died 19th June 1956; and their loved son Pvte Andrew Cotton 445583 died on active service Italy, 19 October 1944.’
30/03/2020 Private Cotton is commemorated on the family headstone in Feilding Cemetery in the Manawatu District of New Zealand. The inscription reads:
30/03/2020 Private Andrew Cotton was re-interred in Cesena War Cemetery on 4th June 1945. Cesena is on the east coast of Italy, just north of San Marino. Most of those buried in this cemetery died during the advance from Rimini to Forli and beyond in September-November 1944, an advance across one flooded river after another in atrocious autumn weather.
30/03/2020 Private Andrew Cotton was originally buried in the Military Cemetery at San Mauro.
30/03/2020 Private Andrew Cotton was serving with the 25th Battalion in Italy when he was killed in action in Italy on 19th October 1944. He was 21 years old.
30/03/2020 Private Andrew Cotton served with the New Zealand Infantry in World War Two.
30/03/2020 The family emigrated to New Zealand.
30/03/2020 Andrew Cotton was born about 1923 in Magherafelt.
30/03/2020 Andrew Cotton was the son of William and Rachel Cotton. William Cotton and Rachel Park were married on 27th July 1918 in the district of Magherafelt.
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