Balster, Cyril Leslie

Age: 27
Date of birth: 27th March 1913

Parents: Gilbert Ewan and Angelina Mabel Balster nee Watson
Wife: Single
Address: 18 Chapel Place, Ramsgate, Kent

Occupation: Carpenter and Joiner

Cyril Leslie Balster was born on 27th March 1913 at Ramsgate in Kent. His father, Gilbert, was a Builder’s Estimator and Manager who had served in WW1 as a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery. His mother is listed in various records as either Angelina or Angela. She is shown in the 1939 Register as Angela but on the 1901 census as Angelina. In 1939 Cyril was a Carpenter and Joiner.

Despite searching we can find no link to Warwick for Cyril. Both of his parents were born in Margate, and their parents (Cyril’s grandparents) were also Margate born. He left his estate of £235 19s 7d to his father, which indicates that he was not married but perhaps he had a sweetheart in Warwick.

We would welcome any information regarding Cyril’s life or his connection with Warwick

Military Service

Rank & Number: Second Hand, LT/JX198887
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Patrol Service
Brigade/Division: HM Drifter Ocean Sunlight
Date of death: 13th June 1940
Cause of death/Battle: Died at Sea
Commemorated/Buried: Buried in Ramsgate and St Lawrence Cemetery, Kent
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: All Saints Church, Emscote

Our researchers found this information:

Cyril’s family came from Ramsgate and when war was declared he was working on a ‘drifter’ called Ocean Sunlight, a fishing boat using drift-nets to catch herring. The boat was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence and operated as a mine sweeper in the channel. It was dangerous work. German mines were released all round the southern ports, some exploding on contact, others tethered to the sea floor below the surface and exploding when a magnetic field was detected.

On 13th June 1940, Her Majesty’s Drifter Ocean Sunlight was returning to port at Seaford in Sussex. The wife of the ship’s cook, Albert Roberts, had gone down to the harbour with her children to greet her husband. She started waving as the boat came to within 800 meters of the shore when it struck a mine and blew up. Ten of the crew were lost, including the ‘Second Hand’, Cyril Balster.

Mark Anthony Boots, the son of Cyril’s cousin contacted us with this valuable information:

‘Cyril as your records state was the only son of aunt Mable and uncle Bert, at the time of Dunkirk he was attending the shore establishment HMS King Alfred, a newly built and requisitioned leisure centre for the training of the pre-war Royal Navy Volunteer (Supplementary) Reserve (RNV(S)R).   (The RNV(S)R) had been formed in 1936 for gentlemen who are interested in yachting or similar pursuits and aged between 18 and 39.

According to my mum who was very close to Cyril and his parents, an officer of the Royal Navy arrived early in June 1940 asking if any of the cadets had knowledge of the French and Belgian coast. Cyril said he did as his dad had a small yacht and had often sailed to that coastline.

Apparently a petty officer aboard HMT Port Sunlight had undertaken ten trips to Dunkirk, and was suffering from exhaustion. Cyril volunteered and took the post of Second Hand. I don’t know how many trips he made to Dunkirk, all we know is that he was on the bridge when they hit the mine, and the doctor who examined his body told uncle Bert that he must have been talking at the time as the concussive blast, literally moved his heart from the left to the right side of his chest.

Uncle Bert was at the time on General Lord Gorts’ staff at Dover and so had some sway in getting the information. Sadly as in all things to do with war, the unheard casualties were uncle Bert and aunt Mable who were never the same after the death of their boy.

As for the Warwick link I have no information and I apologise for that as I am deeply intrigued……’

 

 

 

 

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Mark Anthony Boots – son of Cyril’s cousin

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