Born 15th July 1891 – Died 16th August 1916
24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers
Cecil Bertram White was born in Ayot St. Peter on the 15th July 1891, the second son of James and Emily (née Perris) White. His father was the coachman at Ayot Bury for Mrs Holdsworth who later came to live at Lemsford House. By 1911 the family had moved to North Road, Lemsford. Cecil worked as a tailor, ran for Hertfordshire and in 1910 was Captain of the Lemsford Football Team. He was engaged to be married to Grace Wren, the sister of Christopher Wren. She died on the 22nd September 1918 aged 29, reputedly of a broken heart.
On the 6th November 1915, aged 24, Cecil enlisted at Great Scotland Yard, London and joined the 30th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, also known as the City of London Regiment. By the time of his death he had transferred to the 24th Battalion (known as the 2nd Sportsman's). His Army Small Book describes him as being 5ft 3 ins tall, with fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.
After being wounded twice Cecil returned to the front and took part in the Battle of the Somme. Private 4335 Cecil White of the 24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers died on Wednesday August 16th 1916 aged 25 and is buried in grave B 9, Carnoy Military Cemetery, Somme, France. Captain Finnie of the 4th Fusiliers in a letter to Cecil's parents wrote: “You have already been informed that your son was sniped on the 16th August. His equipment, along with many other sets, was blown to pieces, after it had been taken off his body. Your son was buried by men of his own company. He was a splendid soldier and liked by all in the company. He died doing his duty, a thing I know you will be proud to hear. His comrades sympathise with you in your great loss”. ( Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine, Lemsford News April 1917).
No record of attending St John's School
| LEMSFORD WAR MEMORIAL 1914 - 1918 |
| TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR |
Commonwealth War Graves
Lest We Forget
Cecil White of the 24th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers died on Wednesday August 16th 1916 aged 25 and is buried in grave B 9, Carnoy Military Cemetery, Somme, France.
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Memories & Letters
Memories from the people of Lemsford Parish – letters from the Front and home and much, much more
Local Parish Magazine
From the Bishop's Hatfield Parish Magazine 1914 to 1918, Church- Social - War Records
Servicemen of Lemsford
War records from 98 men who went to war. We show their memories images and why we should never forget them.
5 Facts the Great War
Battles of WW1
Battle of the Somme
1 July - 13 November 1916The British suffered around 420,000 casualties, the French 195,000 and the Germans around 650,000. Only in the sense of relieving the French at Verdun can the British have claimed any measure of success.
Battle of Passchendaele
31 July - 6 November 1917Passchendaele village lay barely five miles beyond the starting point of his offensive. Having prophesied a decisive success, it had taken over three months, 325,000 Allied and 260,000 German casualties
The First Battle of Ypres, 1914
October 19 to November 22, 1914First Battle of Ypres saw the BEF sustain 7,960 killed, 29,562 wounded, and 17,873 missing, while the French incurred between 50,000 and 85,000 casualties of all types. To the north, the Belgians took 21,562 casualties