CUTLER Herbert Cecil

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral under Bromsgrove casualties.

Herbert Cutler attended Bromsgrove School from 1902 to 1908.

Source: Bromsgrove School at War 1914-19 by David Cross.

The following information has been researched and transcribed by Andy Frisby:
Born in Edgbaston in 1891, the son of Alfred Charles and Clara Ellen Cutler. Resident on the 1911 census at The Cedars, The Oakalls, Bromsgrove, occupation given as Engineering Student. Herbert went to France on 21st March 1917.

Taken from the Bromsgrove Droitwich and Redditch Weekly Messenger dated 19th May 1917:
On Monday afternoon Mr A.C. Cutler of the Cedars, Bromsgrove received the sad news of the death of his only son. The telegram which was from the Colonel in charge of the Territorial Forces Records Office read as follows :
“Regret to inform you Lieutenant H.C. Cutler, Worcestershire Yeomanry attached to the Royal Flying Corps was killed in action on 10th May. The Secretary of State for War expresses his sympathy.”

The information came as a great shock to Mr and Mrs Cutler, who only on the previous day had received letters from Lieut Cutler, stating that he had had parts of his flying machine shot away and that he had had a narrow escape. The letters were dated the 10th inst, the date on which he had been killed. Lieutenant Herbert Cecil Cutler was 26 years of age and was educated at Messrs Charters and Field, West House, Edgbaston and at Bromsgrove School (Mr Hendy’s House). Immediately after leaving school he was articled, until he came of age, to Messrs Taylor and Challen, the well-known Birmingham engineering firm. He remained with the firm until the outbreak of war, when he promptly volunteered and with a number of friends entered the Worcestershire Yeomanry. He was quickly appointed second-lieutenant and very shortly afterwards became full lieutenant and he was an exceedingly popular officer among both his brother officers and the men of the Regiment. He was most successful in all his examinations gaining first certificates in all. Later he decided to transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and went through a course of instruction and training at Oxford and was gazetted to the flying branch of the services about ten weeks ago. He quickly gained his wings as a pilot and left home for foreign service on 21st March this year.