Private Cecil Harold Blaydon

Rank or Title

Date of Birth

1896

Date of Death

20 Jul 1917

War time / or Pre War occupation

Farm worker

Service Number

200712

Place of Birth

Mildenhall
United Kingdom

World War I Address

The Knapps
Toddington Road
Leagrave
United Kingdom

Place of Death

Palestinian Territory

Grave Location

Gaza War Cemetery
Palestinian Territory

War Memorial Location

Soldier or Civilian

  • Soldier

Source

The Luton News , 16th August 1917
Pte Cecil Harold Blaydon

Pte Cecil Harold Blaydon, 200712, 1/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed instantly in a raid on enemy lines on July 20th, 1917. The 21-year-old was buried in a cemetery behind British lines.

He was the second son of Sidney and Mary Lily Blaydon, of The Knapps, Toddington Road, Leagrave, to have died in action. Youngest son Albert Edward died at Gallipoli in August 1915.

Cecil served as a stretcher-bearer with the Bedfords from the outbreak of war. Like his younger brother he had served at Gallipoli.

His older brother, Percy, was serving in France with the Royal Garrison Artillery but was in hospital suffering from a second bout of shell shock at the time of Cecil's death.

The Blaydon family had come to Luton from Cambridgeshire after the 1901 Census. By 1911 Cecil was a farm hand living in Limbury Road, Leagrave.

Both Cecil and Albert are commemorated on the Leagrave War Memorial and the Luton Roll of Honour.

Individual Location

Author: Deejaya

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