Cecil John Case

Name

Cecil John Case

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

23/06/1916
17

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
5160
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st/7th Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

British War and Victory medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

HEBUTERNE MILITARY CEMETERY
II. M. 4.
France

Headstone Inscription

IT IS ONLY DEATH DIVIDES US IN THOUGHT HE IS ALWAYS NEAR

UK & Other Memorials

Potters Bar, Little Heath & Bentley Heath Memorial, Potters Bar, All Souls Chapel Book of Remembrance, Potters Bar

Pre War

Cecil john case was born in Somercotes, Alfreton, Derbyshire in 1898 (baptised on 7 Aug 1898 at Congregational Chapel, Riddings) to Frederick John Case, a miner, and Eliza (nee Skipp). 

On the 1901 Census the family of parents, (Father Fredrick was working as a .Blast Furnace man, Butterley works), Alec Edmund (born 1897), Cecil, Percy Henry (born 1901) were living at Lower Somercotes, Alfreton together with a nephew Frederick Charles Rutland (born 1878).

On the 1911 Census the family of parents, (Father Frederick was working as a plate layer for Great Northern Railway), Alec, Cecil (a newsboy), Percy, William (born 1903), Frederick (born 1906) and Rachel (born 1908) were living at Station Road, South Mimms.

Wartime Service

Cecil enlisted as a Territorial Force soldier some time in 1915 in Duke of Cambridge’s (Middlesex Regiment) Private 5160 and was posted to 1st/7th Battalion which had been in France since Mar 1915 The Battalion was incorporated in a new Territorial only division the 56th (1st London) Division.

Cecil death is recorded as killed in action or died of wounds, Also the date is given as 23 Jun 1916 or 8 Jul 1916. He had only  shortly arrived in France and was short of his 18th birthday by only a few days..

Additional Information

War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £3 (s 4d was paid to his mother.  She ordered his GWGC headstone inscription, while living at Station Rd., Potters Bar, Middx., it reads "IT IS ONLY DEATH DIVIDES US IN THOUGHT HE IS ALWAYS NEAR".

Cecil is also commemorated on his family’s grave in Potters Bar (St. Mary) Church Cemetery. His part of the inscription reads:

Acknowledgments

Neil Cooper