CECIL HAROLD SEWELL VC
Born in 1895, Cecil Sewell was the youngest son of the nine children born to Harry and Maryanne Sewell, of 26 Crooms Hill, Greenwich. Cecil was educated at Dulwich College (1907–1912) and London University, with the aim of being articled to his father’s firm of solicitors. In August 1914 life changed dramatically: Bert, Harry (always known as Chap) and Len were mobilised immediately; their brother Frank volunteered; and Cecil signed up in November. Cecil was sent to
Mansfield for training at Clipstone Camp, volunteering for the Machine Gun Section. Cecil’s battalion, the newly formed 98th Infantry Brigade of the 33rd division, crossed to France on 14 November 1915. After several months as a machine gunner, he left France and passed through an Officer Cadet Battalion, receiving a commission into 3rd Battalion West Kent Regiment in August 1916. In September Cecil returned to France, posted to 1st Battalion Royal West Kent.
On 1 October the battalion moved north, and Cecil transferred to the newly formed Heavy Branch, Machine Gun Corps. It was during this period that news reached him of the death of his brother Bert, killed on the last day of fighting during the battle of The Somme. In his capacity as a Forward Observation Officer, Bert went over the top with the attacking infantry at Beaumont Hamel, in order to relay information to bring accurate artillery fire onto German positions, and was killed.
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