BORN HULL 1895. SON OF STEPHEN FAWCETT (1865-1948) & ADA THISTLETON, OF 76 VICTORIA AVENUE, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). CECIL WAS AN OLD HYMERIAN AND ACTIVE MEMBER OF ST AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH. EMPLOYED AS A CLERK, IN A SHIPPING OFFICE.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR. JOINED THE ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 11/05/1915. PROMOTED TO SERGEANT. HE WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT, WHEN HIS GUN, FIRED A SHELL WHICH EXPLODED ONLY 20 YARDS FROM THE MUZZLE AND A FRAGMENT CAME BACK AND STRUCK HIM IN THE STOMACH. HE DIED TEN MINUTES LATER, ON 23/07/1917. HE WAS 21 YEARS OLD. HE HAD JUST BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR A COMMISSION.
HIS COMMANDING OFFICER DESCRIBED CECIL AS “THE BEST SERGEANT IN THE BATTERY. HE WAS CLEVER, A HARD WORKER AND A GOOD LEADER.” HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON THE 1ST AUGUST 1916. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED AGAIN IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 5TH AUGUST 1916 WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. *
UNMARRIED. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER, STEPHEN FAWCETT. HE IS BURIED AT PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT, ON THE SOMME.
