Cyril Richard Judd

Cyril Judd was born in Southampton on 13 July 1893 to Henry, a drapery buyer, and Marian. He was the youngest of six children and they were living at 8 Southdown Road, Wimbledon at the time of the 1901 census.

Cyril attended Rutlish between 1907 and 1908 and was one of the school's best swimmers. By the 1911 census, Cyril was 18 and living and working as a draper’s assistant in Grays Essex but by 1914 he had moved back in with the family, who were now in New Malden, and was working as a clerk.

He enlisted on 24 August 1914 at Kingston on Thames and joined the 7th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment, arriving in France on 1 June 1915. The Battalion was taking part in the Battle of Loos and was involved in an attack on the German lines at Hullock on 13 October 1915. The casualties were heavy and Cyril was one of those who lost his life. His Sergeant wrote to Cyril’s mother:
“Just a few lines to tell you how sorry I am that your son was killed two days ago when we made our charge for the enemy’s trenches. I can assure you he died a brave man’s death and was the first of his company over the trenches, and he is missed by all of us. He was very popular with all the boys and always kept us merry when we were in billets.”

Cyril was one of the bomb throwers or grenadiers in the battalion and a fellow soldier wrote to another member of Cyril’s family:
“I can say he died like only a really brave man could die. The grenadiers were the first men in the company to advance and Cyril was one of the first of them to reach the trench despite the fact it was full of Germans. He had thrown several bombs very effectively and had almost cleared the trench when turning round one of the traverses he was shot. He died instantly and suffered absolutely no pain. He was one of the best and everyone in the battalion will miss him.”

He is buried at the Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and his name is engraved on the Loos Memorial panel 65-67 and at Rutlish School.