Pte 15518 Cecil Bryan

• Age: 25
• From: Birmingham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 28th January 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.G.29

Cecil Bryan was born in 1891 in Birmingham. The birth record shows he was born to an unnamed mother. He was the adopted son of John Thomas Bryan and his wife Beatrice Lucy (nee Evans) who married on 27th August 1889 at Christ Church, Sparkbrook. John was a 32 year old telegraphist of 18 Claremont Road, Sparkbrook, father Joseph a surveyor, whilst Beatrice was aged 25 of 5 Gladstone Road, Sparkbrook, father Robert a draper.  

A family connection is gleaned from the 1871 census where John Thomas Bryan, and his sisters Emma and Susannah are living in Ruthin with father Joseph and mother Eleanor.

It is likely that he is identical with Cecil Bryan, born in Birmingham who appears in the 1891 Census aged 1 year with two sisters, Emma aged 24 and Susannah Bryan aged 22, born in Ruthin, who are visiting a Mrs Elizabeth Wood, widow, aged 52 years, a nurse, in Ladypool Road, King’s Norton, Worcestershire. On the previous Census in 1881 Census, Emma and Susannah live with their widowed mother and family in North Wales.

On the 1901 census he appears as Cecil Lane, a "boarder" aged 10 living at Bryn Dedwydd, Denbigh. Head of the household is John Thomas Bryan, aged 44, a retired P.O. telegraphist born in Ruthin, his wife Beatrice Lucy Bryan is aged 37 and was born in Wolverhampton, children all born Birmingham, Doris Eleanor 10, Harold Llewelyn 8, and Lucy Beatrice 6.

The 1911 Census shows Cecil Bryan living in Liverpool he is 20 years of age, born in Birmingham and employed as a clerk on the railway. He is a boarder at 48 Enid Street, Toxteth, Liverpool with Amy Craig, widow, and her daughter. His adoptive parents John Thomas, a retired postal clerk aged 54, and Lucy Bryan aged 47, are in 1911 living at 5 Endsleigh Road, Stanley, Liverpool, with children Doris now 20, Harold Llewelyn 19, a mercantile clerk, and Beatrice 18, a national telephonist.

Just after the 1911 census his adoptive father died, aged 54. 

Cecil enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15518.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Cecil was killed in action on 28^th January 1916 aged 25.

He was originally buried at Maricourt Military Cemetery but after the was when graves were concentrated his body was exhumed and reburied at Cerisy- Gailly Cemetery, France. His headstone bears the epitaph:

"UNTIL THE DAY DAWN AND SHADOWS PASS AWAY" 

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme and a number of small cemeteries including:- MARICOURT MILITARY CEMETERY which was at the South-East corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German.  The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Family Notices were placed in the local press:

Liverpool Echo - Saturday 27 January 1917  

ROLL OF HONOUR 

BRYAN - In loving memory of Cecil Bryan, K.L.R., killed in action, January 28, 1916. From all at Endsleigh Road, Stanley, Liverpool

Liverpool Echo - Monday 29 January 1917 

BRYAN - In loving memory of Private Cecil Bryan, K.L.R., who was killed in action, January 28, 1916 - Peggy

Liverpool Evening Express - Thursday 27 June 1918

HUFTON— In ever-loving memory of our dear brother, Lance-Corporal Harry Hufton, K.L.R., killed in action June 27, 1917. Also his dear chum, Cecil Bryan, killed in action Jan 28, 1916. 

Holy Father, in Thy mercy, 

Hear our prayer, 

Keep our loved ones, we beseech Thee,

In Thy care. 

(Tom and May, Old Style House, Chapel-street.)  

Soldiers Effects army pay of £2 19s 10d, war gratuity of £5 10s and Pension to adoptive mother Beatrice Lucy Bryan.

It is highly likely that Cecil is the illegitimate son of either Emma or Susannah, father Mr Lane. 

Emma married Arthur Hughes in Ruthin (Denbigh Free Press 1st July 1899)

Susannah is still single in 1911, living in Ruthin, and described as a lady's companion.

By 1921 his widowed mother, aged 57, is living with her son Harold, and married daughter Doris Hill and family.

She died in hospital, aged 71, on the 05th September 1935. 

Her death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Saturday 07 September 1935: 

BRYAN— Sept 5, in hospital, BEATRICE LUCY, wife of the late John Bryan. Interment at St Anne's, Stanley, on Monday next, at 3 p.m.— 4 Hampton Court-road, West Derby. 

Cecil is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Anne's War Memorial, Stanley 

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 13 Left.

Grateful thanks are extended to Joe Devereux for permission to use the photograph of Cecil now shown on this site.  

We currently have no further information on Cecil Bryan, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.