Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Arthur Henry Tyers, a farm waggoner, born on the 23rd September 1874 in Uppingham, Rutland (son of William Tyers, 1828-1898 and Mary A Tyers, 1835-1921) and his wife Sarah Ann Tyers (nee Seaton, married in the January quarter of 1897 in Uppingham), born on the 21st June 1873 in Bisbrooke, Rutland and baptised on the 6th July 1873 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Bisbrooke (daughter of George Seaton and Ann Blackwell). Cecil Henry was born in the April quarter of 1897 in Uppingham, he had one sibling, Leonard Arthur Tyers, born on the 4th July 1900 in Uppingham and baptised on the 26th August 1900 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Bisbrooke, in March 1901 the family home was at Mill Cottages, Uppingham.
In April 1911 Cecil was employed as an errand boy and was residing in the family home at Glaston, Rutland, together with his father, a farm waggoner, his mother and siblings, Leonard, a schoolboy, Herbert Frank, born on the 15th September 1902 in Uppingham and baptised on the 2nd November 1902 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Bisbrooke and Harold Victor, born in the July quarter of 1907 in Glaston.
He was a motor engineer and auxiliary postman before enlisting in the Nottinghamshire and Derby Regiment, being transferred to the Highland Light Infantry in March 1916. He embarked for France in the first week of June 1916 and was in the trenches on the evening of the 21st June when he was struck down by a stone that had been thrown to a great height by a German mine explosion. He was a youth of somewhat diminutive stature, standing barely five feet tall, and he was repeatedly rejected for military service on this account, but his patriotism and determination were unfailing, and he eventually succeeded in enlisting. He formerly belonged to the Rutland Volunteer Training Corps., and was well known and much respected.
Cecil’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Uppingham into the Regular Army. 10/9/15.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 30927.
Transferred. To Highland Light Infantry. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 29573.
Posted. To 14th Bn. Highland Light Infantry. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Killed in action. In the Field. 21/6/16.
Buried in Vermelles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Headstone inscription. “He bravely answered duty’s call. His life he gave for one and all.”
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Cecil nominated his mother Sarah Ann as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 20 – 23 Jun-16. ANNEQUIN – The Battalion was attached for instruction in Company training in the trenches to the 45th Brigade. Battalion Headquarters remained in ANNEQUIN.
Companies were attached as follows: - “A” Company to 6/7th ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS.
“B” Company to 13th Battalion ROYAL SCOTS. “C” Company to 6th CAMERON HIGHLANDERS. “D” Company to 11th Battalion ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS.
The War Diary records: 21 Jun-16. TRENCHES – On the evening of the 21st June at 2 o clock a mine was blown up opposite the sub section held by the 6th CAMERON HIGHLANDERS. “C” Company HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY attached to this Battalion was ordered to occupy the lip of the crater. The dispositions made by Captain SHEPHERD Commanding the Company proved entirely satisfactory, and the crater was occupied with but few casualties, and held by the Company until they quitted the trenches on 23rd instant.
On Friday 14th, July 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 2, under the heading. – GLASTON. – Priv. C. H. Tyers, Highland Light Infantry, aged 19, was killed in action on June 21.
[recognitum II-X-MMXXIV]