Cornelius Vincent Suckling, born on 21st February 1884, was admitted to King Edward’s School in September 1897 alongside his brother, John. He lived with his father, Cornelius, a surgeon, his mother, Anna, and his brother at ‘Beech Lawn’, Church Road, Edgbaston.
Cornelius was a pupil of the Classical School, meaning his curriculum was focused on the classics, as opposed to sciences and languages. Despite this, he was a strong linguist, placing 3rd out of 16 in his class for French and sharing the French Prize.
After leaving School, Cornelius became a solicitor and, at the outbreak of war, was practising in London with his associate, John Robinson, under the firm’s name of ‘Robinson and Suckling’. He had already served as a Second Lieutenant with the 1/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Territorial Force, for some time, but was immediately promoted to Lieutenant in August 1914. He was posted to France on 23rd March 1915, and in May he was promoted again to Acting Captain, finally reaching the rank of Captain. Cornelius was killed on 17th July 1916 during the Somme Offensive in an attack on Ovillers-la-Boiselle, aged thirty-two. His body was never recovered; as a consequence he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He left his estate of £268 to his brother, John, who was practising as a surgeon.