Hall, Cyril Samuel

Age: 25
Date of birth: Q2 1917

Parents: John and Florence (nee Webb) Hall
Wife: Single
Address: Lower Cape, Warwick

Occupation: Not known

Cyril was born in Q2 1917 in Solihull.  His father John (1873-1938) was born in Worfield near Bridgnorth, Shropshire and his mother Florence nee Webb (1871-1933) was born in Heath Town, near Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.  John and Florence married in Q1 1902 in Solihull.

Cyril was the youngest of five children.  His siblings were Catherine Florence (1902-1987), John Edward (1904-1984), Lucy Annie (1908-1998) and Sarah Ellen (1912-1996)

In 1911 his father John and mother Florence were living at Nuthurst, Hockley Heath, Nr Solihull. John was a domestic gardener, possibly at Nuthurst Grange, which is now a hotel. At that time, Catherine Florence, John Edward and Lucy Annie were living with them.  The census shows that all three siblings had been born in Lapworth, Warwickshire.

According to the 1921 census the family had moved back to Lapworth living at Gospel Oak Cottage. John worked as a gardener at Packwood Haugh Prep School.  Cyril’s oldest sister Catherine, aged 18, was working as a shorthand typist and Edward, aged 17, worked as a farm labourer at Lapworth farm.

Both of Cyril’s parents died before WW2.  Cyril’s sister Sarah married Arnold Gregson in 1942 in Warwick and here is a photo of their wedding.  Arnold survived the war.

Cyril’s middle sister, Lucy, and her husband William Henry Spencer were living at 28 Lower Cape Warwick in 1939 so presumably Cyril was living with them until he left with the army.  Cyril left probate to Lucy Annie.  She and her husband were living at 4 Cross Street, Leamington Spa at the time of Cyril’s death.

Cyril is named on the Yeomanry Memorial in St Mary’s Church and is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery:

 

Military Service

Rank & Number: Trooper, 556963
Regiment/Service: 'B' Squadron, Warwickshire Yeomanry
Brigade/Division: 9th Armoured Brigade
Date of death: 2nd November 1942
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action at El Alamein
Commemorated/Buried: Buried in El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt. VI. F. 10.
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: St Mary's Church

2 extracts from the Warwickshire Yeomanry War Diary of the 2/3 November 1942 – Cyril is listed as missing (believed killed) in the War Diary at that juncture:

 

Here are ‘B’ Squadron, Warwickshire Yeomanry Tanks at Miteiriya Ridge on 2 November 1942 prior to the commencement of that day’s action

Extract from El Alamain 1942 by Philip Wilson of the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum:  Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum (warwickshire-yeomanry-museum.co.uk)

1 November to 3 November 1942

On 1 November 1942, the Warwickshire Yeomanry and the remainder of 9th Armoured Brigade left their positions near Alamein station on its eleven mile approach to the new assault positions. Enemy defences were not known and the artillery plan was for a simple bombardment but with three times greater concentration than that of the attack on the 23 October. The regiment’s task was to assist in the break of the line of enemy guns dug in on the Rahman Track. Several tanks were lost on the minefield.

At 6.15 on the morning of 2 November the tanks moved forward with the regiment given the left flank of the advance. Dawn was not far off and the regiment made for its first objective, a small hill, Tel el Aqqaqir. battle was soon joined and a battery of Italian guns were accounted for. Daylight dawned and this time each tank was fighting its own battle, engaging enemy guns, dug in tanks, and machine guns at close range, whilst being shelled by long range guns from the slopes of Tel el Aqqaqir. Tanks were brewing up all around. The advance continued with the Colonel’s comments over the air “for Gods sake get those bloody guns before they get the lot of us”. The Yeomanry pressed on relentlessly as had their ancestors some 25 years previously at Huj in Palestine.

There were now only seven tanks left road worthy in the regiment and shortly afterwards they had orders to move eastwards of the Rahman Track. Here they continued to fight awaiting the arrival of 2nd Armoured Brigade to exploit the gaps torn in the enemy gun line. Throughout the remainder of the day fierce tank battles were fought in which the regiment played its part, by nightfall the enemy had received crippling losses.

On the 3 November 1942 the remaining brigade tanks, severely depleted came under command of the Warwickshire Yeomanry.

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Warwick Advertiser excerpts courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
  • Special thanks to Philip Wilson of The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum Trust – for providing all military information and for the photograph of the B Squadron tanks

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