Name
Cecil George Wheeler
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4/6645
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Croxley Green Village Memorial, All Saints' Church Shrine, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, Not on the Wheathampstead memorials, Not on the Gustard Wood memorial
Pre War
Cecil George was born 1894 in Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead, (baptised 24 Jun 1894) at St Helen’s, Wheathampstead. Cecil was the son of William Wheeler, a labourer, and Ellen (nee Burton). His parents had married on 16 Sep 1893 at St Helen’s, Wheathampstead, Herts. William died 1929 aged 58; Ellen died either 1945 aged 74 or 1955 aged 84; both in the Watford district.
On the 1901 Census, aged 6, Cecil was living with his parents, Harold W (born 1899) and Annie E (born 1901) in Market Oak, Leverstock Green, Herts. The family also lived in Aldenham and Park Street between Censuses.
On the 1911 Census, Cecil, now aged 16 and a farm labourer, was living in Penman’s Green, Sarratt, Herts, with his parents, Harold W, Annie E, Nellie Gertrude (born 1903), Leonard Charles (born 1905), Alice Hatty (born 1907), Lilian (born 1909 and James (born 1911).This census form is spoilt, so difficult to read].
Before the war, Cecil was employed by Mr Greaves, in his gardens at Scots Hill, Rickmansworth.
Wartime Service
Cecil enlisted in Bedfordshire Regiment as a Territorial Soldier at Watford. No Service Record was found for him. Information suggests that he joined 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, he had a 4/prefix and four figure (6645) serial. This serial seems to have been issued between 30 Dec 1911 and 28 Aug 1912 although this cannot be confirmed but would seem reasonable given the short period between declaration of War and his transit to France. Cecil, following a training period went to France on 11 Nov 1914 to join 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshires in the field at Bailleul, near Ypres, in a draft of 94 other ranks arriving on 21/22 Nov 1914. During 1915 Cecil’s battalion fought in the battles of Neuve Chapelle (10 Mar – 22 Apr), Festubert (15 -25 May) and Givenchy (15 -17 Jun). In early Sep 1915 the 2nd Battalion moved Labourse and rhe Vermelles area and on 25 Sep 1915 they joined the opening attack on the first day of the battle of Loos (25 Sep – 8 Oct). There were heavy casualties, including the commanding officer, Lt Colonel Cranley Onslow who was wounded, and up to 300 other ranks. Cecil was reported killed on 25 Sep 1915. He was 21. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Loos Memorial.
The Watford Observer of 30 Oct 1915 included a tribute by Corporal F A Roope. He wrote that they had orders to sustain the attack after the third line of German trenches was taken. They were advancing over open country when they were compelled to entrench. It was just before they started to dig trenches that Cecil was hit in the stomach. He was bandaged up straight-away but it was too late. The Corporal commented that he died a hero doing his duty for his King and country and now lies in a hero’s grave near to where he fell. The Observer added comments from a letter from Sergeant H Forder who wrote that Wheeler was as brave as any man he had seen, always joking and cheering other fellows up when under fire. Private Wheeler belonged to the Special Reserve.
According to the newspaper, Cecil's father William was in France with the Royal Engineers and his brother Harold was a private in the North Hants Regiment. In 1911,
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £4 and arrears of £11 14s 8d was paid to his mother Ellen. There is an article about Cecil in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 30 October 1915; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 30 September 1916 and 27 September 1919.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Malcolm Lennox, Brian Thomson, Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
