William & Robert Cochrane They did not fight in WW1

William Cochrane 1895 – 1989: Born in Sandpit Cottages, Hatfield Hyde he was the 2nd son of John & Lucy Cochrane. He moved with his parents to Valley Road Corner as a boy. He was born with only one hand and was rejected for military service in WW1. He became an active trade unionist and trained at Ruskin College Oxford.

As the Hertfordshire representative for the Farm Workers Union he was involved in gaining a shorter working week for local farmers ( Six and a half day week) Reporting to the Ministry of Agriculture at national conferences he met many famous people. In the early 1920s William and his brother Robert started The Cochrane Coal & Coke business in Hatfield Hyde now Welwyn Garden City.

Robert Cochrane 1902 – 1982: He was too young to do military service in WW1 but joined the Royal Marines with HMS Warspite after the War.