- First Name(s):CecilHenry
- Surname:BYRD
- Service Number:81671
- Rank:
Lance Corporal
- Conflict:WW1
- Service:Army
- Army Sector:Infantry
- Corps:Machine Gun Corps
- Regiment:Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
- Former Units:None
- Date of Death:11th August 1918
- Age At Death:22
- Place of Death:Unknown
- Place of Burial:Badsey (St. James) Churchyard, Worcestershire, England.
- Place of Birth:Unknown
- Home Town:Unknown
- Casualty's Relatives:
Son of William and Bessie Byrd, of Badsey
BYRD Cecil Henry Is Named On These Memorials
Notes About The Memorial(s) Listed Above
Badsey St James’s Church with the information: L. Cpl. M.G.C.
Further Information About BYRD Cecil Henry
Additional information on the memorial: L. Cpl. M.G.C.
Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.
Cecil Byrd was born on 23rd March 1896, the son of William Byrd. He attended Badsey Council School from 19th November 1906 until 7th May 1909. In the Badsey parish magazine of May 1918 it was reported that Corporal C. Byrd had been slightly gassed and had trench fever and was now in hospital in Chatham. In August 198 the magazine reported that his recent illness had had serious and unexpected developments and he was now in a grave condition in Norton Military Hospital.
Badsey parish magazine September 1918:
On the same day on which Col Barton was killed [August 11], Cpl C H Byrd, whose serious illness we reported last month, died at Norton Barracks. Cpl Byrd enlisted in the Worcesters in September 1915, but was subsequently transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and first went to France in February 1916. On March 17 last he was gassed, and while in hospital developed trench fever. After spending three months in hospital in Kent he came home on leave in July. On reporting to Norton Barracks at the end of his leave he was again ordered to hospital where alarming symptoms were soon observed and he died on the evening of Sunday August 11, Dvr E Pillinger, who was also a patient at Norton, being with him when he passed away. He was buried with military honours at Badsey the following Thursday. The coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was carried shoulder-high from the deceased soldier’s home to the church, the bearer party, under Cpl G E Jones, and the firing party, under Sergt J Barnard, being made up of local members of the VTC. An escort from Worcester under Sergt A Spink was also in attendance. The service was choral throughout and the €œLast Post€ was sounded by Bugler D O’Sullivan. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr Stribblehill, who, as on the occasion of Cpl Cleveley’s funeral, kindly gave his services.
Cecil Henry Byrd was buried in Badsey churchyard on 15th August 1918.
Source for additional information:
http://www.badseysociety.uk/world-war-one/war-memorial-badsey-church