HUMPHRIES Cedric Alfred

M.A. (Cantab.): Downing College.

Appears on the Army casualties list for Worcestershire.

The birth of Cedric A. Humphries is registered in the March Quarter 1914 under the Kidderminster Registration District, mother’s maiden name: Jenns

Cedric Humphries was the son of Henry Alfred John and Ethel Eliza Humphries of Kidderminster.  He is the only man on the two Memorials at Royal Grammar School Worcester (RGS) who is not an Old Boy of the school.  He joined the RGS as an assistant master in 1935 and was Housemaster at Whiteladies until his call up for military service in 1940.  A Cambridge graduate, he was well known in both rugby and cricket circles in the county before the war.  He played several games for Worcestershire C.C.C. and was an outstanding member of the combined Worcestershire and Herefordshire XV.  As a devoted coach he contributed much to the running of rugby and cricket teams at the Royal Grammar School.

He had been involved in training and instructional work with the Army until shortly before his death, and, indeed, visited Worcester Grammar School on embarkation leave just four weeks before he was killed in action.  After the war, subscriptions were collected and a seat, suitably inscribed, was placed in front of the old pavilion on flagge Meadow so that he, as the €˜Worcesterian’ puts it, €œ.. .will be forever remembered in the green setting where his heart once glowed with enthusiasm for the games he loved€.

Cedric Humphries trained as an Officer Cadet and was then commissioned in to the Worcestershire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 28th December 1940.  At the time of his death he was attached to the 4th Somerset Light Infantry Regiment who at the time were holding a position at the small German village of Pannenschopp near the Dutch/German frontier.  Such are the fortunes of war that Captain Humphries was to die on the morning of the 18th November 1944 when by chance a 105 mm enemy shell hit the slit trench he was in, instantly killing him and 2nd Lieut. Ken Oxland (an NSO who had only just been commissioned in the field).

Source for additional information: http://www.worcestershireregiment.com

Worcester Evening News & Times Friday 24th November 1944
Cricketer Killed
Capt. Cedric Humphries
Second son of Mr and Mrs A.J. Humphries of Comberton Road, Kidderminster.  Capt. Cedric A. Humphries has been killed in Holland.  He was 31 years old. A master at the Royal Grammar School until he joined the forces, Capt. Humphries was one of the famous trio of Humphries brothers who distinguished themselves in the county in pre-war cricketing days.  He several times assisted Worcestershire, and as a member of the Worcestershire Gentleman’s team, which toured Denmark in 1938, was the most successful batsman, scoring 319 runs in four innings and being dismissed only once. He held the Birmingham League batting record with a score of 158 not out at Chester-road. He was an equally capable rugby player, and had several times been included in the Worcestershire and Herefordshire team in inter-county games.