Courageous Brethren - Cecil Bamberger #325

Cecil Bamberger’s Family:

Cecil Bamberger was born in Islington on the 22nd December 1883. He was the eldest son of Louis and Emily Bamberger, of 115 King Henry's Road, Hampstead, London and later of 3 Lancaster Road, Belsize Park, London. 

Cecil David Woodburn Bamberger had four younger brothers and one sister: Arthur Prior (b.1885), Harold Rudolf (b.1887), William Ewart (b.1891-d.1917), Frank (b.1893-d.1976) and Ursula Seleste (b.1899-d.1987)

Cecil was also a certificated referee for Association football. He married, in September, 1899. Rosina Frances, daughter of Alice and Walter Rainer Pitt, of Great Yarmouth, and left two daughters: Rose Alice, born July, 1900; and Vera Edna, born September, 1905.

Education & Career:

He was educated at University College School and (from 1901) the Royal Military Academy Woolwich.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

23 November 1914 - 6 February 1915.
As the armies of 1914 fought themselves to exhaustion they settled down by the end of the year to the realities of static trench warfare. During the winter, activity was mostly comprised of a series of small scale raids and attempts by the British Expeditionary Force to gain superiority over the battlefront.

At the same time increasing numbers of Territorial battalions and replacements for the Regular battalions came into theatre and had to be trained and acclimatised to trench occupation. This period was further noted for the severity of the weather and the need to rapidly source and equip the troops with adequate winter and waterproof equipment, whilst improving the trench conditions. Miserable times. 

Captain Cecil Bamberger, Royal Engineers, was killed in action on the 20th December, 1914. He was gazetted to the Royal Engineers in March 1903 becoming Lieutenant in December 1905. In the following year he served in India, where he was employed on the Eastern Jumna Canal Works, and with the Mishmi Road Work party, Sadiya. Assam. In 1913, he was in charge of the Jhansi Division Betwa Canal and was promoted Captain in March 1914.

Detail:

Killed whilst helping to fortify a trench.

Captain Cecil Bamberger is recorded in The Times on the 29 December 1914 in an article entitled "Fallen Officers" and also in Harold Carmichael Wylly's 1928 book, History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions, the Leicestershire Regiment, in the Great War, p.115.

On the outbreak of the war with Germany he joined the Meerut Division of the Indian Expeditionary Force, and was killed while helping to build a barricade in a trench that had been captured from the Germans. The British and German lines were so close together that it was impossible to go out and collect the dead and wounded.

Cecil was the brother of 2nd Lieutenant William Ewart Woodburn Bamberger who was killed in action on 16th August 1917 whilst serving in the 1/5th Bn London Regiment. Both were from London.

Cecil is listed in Jewish Roll of Honour.

Probate record shows: BAMBERGER, Cecil David Woodburn of Jhansi in India died 20th December 1914 near Bethune in France on active service. Administration granted (with will) at London on 2nd February to Emily Bamberger (wife of Louis Bamberger (his mother)). Effects £1623 2s. 11d.

He is interred at Bethune Town Cemetery.

Citations & Commemorations:

Not applicable

Masonic:

Joined Beauchamp Lodge No.1422 from Highgate Lodge on the 6th July 1909 when it was located at Roorkee, Uttarakhand

This Roll of Honour post has been created by the West Kent Military lodge for information, with special thanks to Cher-Leigh Eyles-Thomas for her time researching the content. If you would like to now more about the Lodge contact us here