Tyne Cot Memorial
Tyne Cot Memorial: Pauline Priano
Pauuline Priano has submitted the following:-
Cecil Hands was born at Sunderland, County Durham, in 1896 the eldest son and one of 6 children of whom only 4 survived. Sisters Mary Elizabeth and Ethel Rebecca were born 1891 and 1893 respectively, brother Charles Ernest in 1902. His father Charles William Hands was a ships joiner born in 1868, he married Elizabeth Ann Prior born 1870, also of Sunderland in 1890. The young couple lived with her widowed father John at 90, William’s Street, Bishopwearmouth, part of the Municipal Ward of Pallion, Sunderland and it was here that their daughter Mary Elizabeth was born. By 1901 they had moved to 70, Washington Street, Cecil was 4 years old, ten years later he was still a scholar, educated at Bede Collegiate School. The family were now living at 10, Booth Street, Millfield, Sunderland. His father worked at for a shipbuilder as a carpenter and joiner, his sister Mary Elizabeth (20) was employed as a stenographer and typist, Ethel Rebecca was a qualified teacher for the corporation, brother Charles Ernest (9) a scholar.
On the outbreak of war Cecil was still at Bede Collegiate School probably training to be a teacher. Cecil did some teaching at Pallion School. He left Bede in 1915 and enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry 18th Service Battalion and by April 1916 saw service in Egypt. Cecil was wounded at the Somme on 2nd July 1916. Cecil was offered a commission and in December 1916 was under going his training. (Information from The Bedan Magazine). He was given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and attached to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
4,000 recruits left Newcastle-upon-Tyne for Bullswater Camp, Surrey where they were divided into the 12th and 13th Battalions D.L.I. and 10th and 11th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers.The recruits began their training wearing their own civilian clothes but were eventually issued with blue serge uniforms and in late October 1914 obsolete Lee Retford rifles. By November rain made Bullswater camp unusable and the 12th and 13th moved to Malplaquet Barracks in Aldershot and later to Ashford in Kent and finally to Bramshot, Hampshire. In February 1915 khaki uniforms and leather equipment arrived and by July 1916 rifle training was complete and the battalions were ready for service overseas.
They departed August 25th 1915 as part of the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division landing in France August 26th and within days without any nursery training were in the trenches, however, they were spared the disastrous Battle of Loos and spent the rest of 1915 in the trenches at Armentieres and Soucher, however Cecil did not join them at the front until 1916.
In late June 1916 the 23rd Division was moved south to the Somme and the 12th Battalion entered the fighting at La Boiselle July 7th then spending most of August in reserve at Armentieres. They returned to the Somme and October 7th, assisted by a tank, attacked and captured Tangie a complex of trenches and machine guns east of Sars with the loss of 30 men killed and 80 wounded. Battle concluded they left the Somme for the Ypres salient in Belgium.
June 1917 after a series of huge mines were exploded under the German trenches at Messines Ridge the 12th Battalion attacked capturing Impartial Trench with the loss of 15 casualties. They were in action again in September during the Third Battle of Ypres in the fighting on Menin Road, at Polygon Wood and during the First and Second Battles of Passchendaele.
2nd Lieutenant (T) Cecil Hands was killed in action October 12th 1917, the first day of the First Battle of Passchendaele. His sacrifice is recorded on the Memorial to the Missing which forms the stone wall surrounding Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died after August 15th 1917 on the Ypres salient who have no known grave, panel 128-131. Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, he was 22 years old and single.
In accordance with his will all monies due to him from the Army were assigned to his mother Elizabeth Ann of 260, Hylton Road, Sunderland and also at Durham, April 23rd 1918 effects in the sum of 48 pounds 9 shillings 8 pence.
His father Charles William Hands died aged 65 years in 1933, mother Elizabeth Ann Hands nee Prior aged 69 years in 1939, both registered in the district of Sunderland.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Cecil Hands is remembered at Sunderland on S140.017 S140.117 S140.165 and at Pallion on P38.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 282
