841 Lance-Corporal
Cecil Walburn was a patient at Hickwells in 1915. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s
album is a cartoon with the words written underneath:
841 Lce Cpl G Cecil Walburn
1st 4th Yorks
Wounded St Jean April 24th 15
George Cecil Davidson
Walburn was born at Reeth, near Richmond, Yorkshire, probably around the 29th
or 30th April 1885. His birth was registered in Reeth district in the June quarter
of 1885 and he appears on the 1891 census living at the Royal Standard Hotel, 5 West End, Redcar with his family. The household comprised William Walburn (head, married,
aged 35, an innkeeper), three children: Alice Maud Mary Walburn (aged 12), William Arthur Walburn (aged nine), Cecil George
Davison Walburn (aged five) and a servant, Mary Emma Dale (aged 16).
By the time the
1901 census was taken, the family was still living at 5 West End, Redcar although William does not feature on it and may have left home by this stage.
The children’s mother (Alice H Walburn, aged 45) is recorded and Cecil (who obviously went by his second name
rather than his first), is noted as an eighteen year old apprentice cabinet maker. Also
staying at the West End address in 1901 was Cecil’s grandmother, 70 year old Elizabeth
Davison.
Cecil joined the
Territorial Force on 18th March 1909, enlisting at Redcar and giving his age as 20 years and 323 days (although he was 23 and 323 days) and his occupation as Foreman Joiner. On 11th July 1910 he
was awarded a First Aid certificate.
When war was declared
he was embodied as a paid Lance-Corporal (on 5th August 1914)
with the 4th Yorkshire Regiment. His Military History Sheet recorded his next
of kin as follows: wife: 53 Queen
Street, Redcar; William Walburn and Alice H Walburn (father and mother) living at the Royal Standard Hotel, Redcar. Arthur Walburn (brother) of Wellington Place, Redcar and Mrs and Mr Railton, (sister) of 55 Queen Street, Redcar.
He was medically
examined on 18th
March 1915 where it was noted that he was 23
years and eleven months and was five feet, ten inches tall. (Again though, his
true age would have been 29). His physical development was noted as “very good”.
Between 17th April and 30th April 1915, Cecil was in France as a stretcher
bearer and Medical Officer’s Orderly. The battalion left Newcastle on the 17th April and embarked at Folkestone, disembarking at Boulogne on the night of the 17th/18th.
According to his
album entry in Nurse Oliver’s book, he was wounded on 24th April 1915 at St Jean while serving with the 1/4th Yorkshire Regiment although his surviving
Casualty Form – Active Service, gives the date as the following day. He
sustained a gun shot wound and compound fracture to his right ankle.
On 27th April
Cecil was admitted to No 13 General Hospital at Boulogne with “shell wound, leg” and three days later was on a hospital ship to England. Between 30th April and 20th May he was at the Fort Pitt hospital in Chatham, Kent with gun shot wound to his right leg and a fractured tibia.
A shrapnel bullet was also removed there. On 20th May he was transferred
to West Hall VAD Hospital in Tunbridge Wells for massage and general treatment, remaining there
until 27th August
1915.
It is likely that immediately after this spell, he was transferred to Hickwells for convalescence although this is
not noted in his service record.
On 5th September
1915 he was transferred to the 3/4th Yorkshire Regiment and on the 12th November that year, re-engaged for four
years or the duration of the war. He was classified C3 by a medical board on
8th March 1916 and on 20th April was appointed paid Lance-Sergeant prior to transferring to the 24th Provisional Battalion
on 18th May.
On 31st August
1916 he reverted to the rank of paid Lance-corporal with the 4th battalion, was again classified C3 by a further medical board
held on 26th September 1916 and was finally transferred to Class W (I), category C3 on 21st August 1917. In the meantime, as part of the army-wide process of renumbering the Territorial units, hew as given a new
six digit number: 265553. On 4th September 1917 he was issued with
the silver war badge, number B273307.
Cecil Walburn
was disembodied on 21st
January 1919, his service reckoned at 10 years
and 310 days. A 20 per cent disablement was noted and he was awarded a pension
of 5/6 per week for the next 52 weeks. He gave his home address as 1 Portland Terrace, Redcar.
On 13th January 1920 he was given an Interim award of 8/ per week from 21st January 1920 for 4 weeks pending a medical report and this was extended on 9th February 1920 for a further five weeks. On
20th March 1920 this award was again extended for six weeks. On 21st April 1920, a ten per cent disablement was agreed and on 18th May 1920 a £65 gratuity was awarded in lieu of the former award but in addition to previous awards. By this time, Cecil was working as a hotel manager (presumably the family business
at The Royal Standard Hotel, Redcar) and it is noted on one of his medical boards in 1920 that he suffered
“pain and discomfort after standing a long time or walking far.”
To view Cecil
Davison's service record on-line via the Ancestry website, enter his name in the boxes below:
Sources and Acknowledgements
· 1891 Census of England and Wales
· 1901 Census of England and Wales
· The National Archives: Medal Index Card
· The National Archives: Silver War Badge Roll: O/4387/1: WO 329/3150
· The National Archives: Service Record of Cecil Walburn: WO 364/4402
· The National Archives: War Diary of 4th Yorkshire Regiment:
WO 95/2836
· The National Archives: War Diary of 150th Brigade
· The National Archives: War Diary of 50th Northumbrian Division: WO 95/2807
