Cecil was serving in France with The King's Own (Royal Lancater Regiment) and wanted to go home to Ulverston for his 21st birthday but was not allowed to take leave, so he made his way home anyway. He spent his 21st birthday in Ulverston jail, half the town turned up at the jail to wish him happy birthday and brought him a birthday cake. He was sent back to France, not to his previous regiment but to The Kings (Liverpool Regiment) which was closer to the front line. He was killed a few months after his birthday.

Lyn Dawson