Acting Lance Corporal Cecil Roy East
Honourable Artillery Company Infantry
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: September 21 1891
Place of Birth: Lewisham, Kent
Date of Death: May 13th 1915
Buried: Voormezeele Enclosure No 3, Belgium.
Awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Acting Lance Corporal Cecil Roy East.
Cecil was born on September 21 1891, in Lewisham, Kent. He was the son of Frederick Thomas who was born in Peckham in 1857 and Elizabeth Jane East (née Tizard) who was born in Plymouth in 1855.
The 1901 census shows the family living at 17, Tyson Road in Lewisham. Cecil has a brother Frederick and a sister Winifred Mary. His grandmother Annie Tizard (a Plymothian) is living with them. The family have two live-in servants, (a housemaid and a nurse).
Cecil was educated 1906 - 1909 at Dulwich College in London (an independent boarding school for boys).
The 1911 census shows the family are still at Tyson Road; Cecil's parents are present, as is Cecil and his sister Winifred and also at this point his older sister Lucy Marjorie. The family have two servants living with them (a housemaid and a cook).
Honourable Artillery Company Infantry Cap Badge
When the war began in August 1914, Cecil enlisted as a Private (Reg No. 1463) in the Honourable Artillery Company, at Armoury House, their London home.
"The British Grenadiers", the official Regimental Quick March of the Honourable Artillery Company.
He went to France on September 18th 1914, working on the lines of communication. He was promoted to Lance-Corporal, and in November he was sent into the trenches.
On May 13 1915, he was killed in action at the foot of Mont Kemmel, near Ypres.
A war gratuity of £3 was received by his father.
He was buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No 3, Belgium.
His father was director of a firm of leather manufacturer’s, and became the Master of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers (the City of London Livery Guild for fine leather workers and shoemakers).
"To the lengthening list of some well known members of the trade who have died for their country we have this week regretfully to add lance Corporal Cecil Roy East H.A.C. who was killed in action in France on the May 13th 1915.
He was the son of Frederick T. East (East Kingsey and East leather manufacturer's Bermondsey, S.E.), the Worshipful Master of the Cordwainers Company.
Cecil Roy East, who was only 23 years of age was educated at Dulwich College and also studied at the Leather -sellers' company's Technical College.
When 18 years of age he entered the business of Messrs. East Kingsey and East and subsequently controlled the firm's fancy leather department.
He rapidly gained the confidence of the foremen and men, with whom he was exceedingly popular.
He was a very keen sportsman and a well-known Rugby footballer, having played back during the last two seasons for the Old Alleynians's first 15.
He was also a liveryary man of the Cordwainers' Company.
In the early days of last August he joined the H.A.C., and on September 18 went to France on the lines of communication.
He was later promoted to Lance Corporal and on the first week of November he was sent into the trenches, where he remained (with the exception of a few days illness at the base) until he fell on the field of honour.
In a letter received from Captain Lancaster it was stated that the young soldier's death "is mourned by his friends in his company and his friends were many".
To his parents, brothers, sisters and friends we tender the expression of our sincere sympathy in their loss."
May 28, 1915 Issue,
The Shoe and Leather Record, War Notes
