Cecil Cox Newberry

Gunner Cecil Cox Newberry of the Royal Garrison Artillery died on 1 September 1916 in Iraq and he is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. He is not commemorated on the Hampton Wick War Memorial but appears to have been commemorated on the war memorial in St Mark’s Church, South Teddington as Cecil Newbury.

It would appear that the military records of his service, like the entry on the war memorial in St Mark’s, were originally under the name “Newbury”. His Medal Roll Card was only corrected in 1920 when his medals were returned for correction. His connection with Hampton Wick has yet to be established but his middle name of “Cox” may be the key given that the Cox family were long established in the village. Gunner Cecil Cox Newbery may have been a relative of Sydney Cox who lived at 14 Holmesdale Road at this period.

According to his Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry he was 26 when he died so must have been born about 1890. The birth of a Cecil Cox Newberry was registered in the third quarter of 1890 in Taunton. He was baptised at Crewkene Church, Somerset on 31 July 1892. His parents’ names are given as Samuel and Rose Ellen Newberry and their place of residence is given as London. His father’s occupation is given as a Railway Guard which may be why the family had moved to London from Somerset perhaps returning to their original home to have their child christened.

No further details of Gunner Newberry’s military service have yet been discovered other than his date of entry into service which is given on his Medal Roll as 10 March 1915 and that he saw action on the Eastern rather than the Western Front.