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SEARLE, Cecil Ernest
| Service Number: | 3894 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Quorn, 23 February 1890 |
| Home Town: | Walkerville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Chauffeur |
| Died: | 10 September 1967, aged 77 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Bruce WW1 & WW2 Roll of Honor, Prospect Roll of Honour G-Z WWI Board, Quorn Remembrance of Those Who Served in the Great War Honour Board, Quorn School Roll of Honor WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Oct 1915: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 3894, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Miltiades, Adelaide | |
| 7 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 3894, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 3894, 50th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 5 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Adelaide, SA |
|---|
Help us honour Cecil Ernest Searle's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Cecil Ernest SEARLE was born on the 23rd February 1890 to Mary Bell McDONALD and his father Mark SEARLE. Cecil grew up in Adelaide, South Australia with his 2 brothers: Spencer Roy SEARLE and Milton Donald SEARLE. Cecil and his brothers were all close in age, with Cecil being the eldest. Spencer Roy was born on the 13th March 1891, and Milton Donald was born on the 14th May 1895. The three boys all enlisted in 1915/1916.
Before the war:
Before enlisting in the war, Cecil Ernest Searle worked as a Chauffeur (someone employed to drive a private or hired car). When Cecil enlisted in World War 1 in 1915 he was 25 years old. When enlisting Cecil was around the height of 5ft 11 and weighed around 147lbs (66.7kg).
During the war:
When World War 1 began, Cecil and his brother Spencer were in the same Battalion. They both joined the 50th Battalion from the 7th training Battalion embarking on the same ship (The ‘Arcadian’) disembarking 2nd April 1916 in Heliopolis (city in Egypt). Soon after on the 12th June 1916, Cecil lost his brother Spencer. Spencer (Rank: Private) was reported as wounded in action, then reported as wounded and missing in action and then was then reported as killed in action on the 16th July 1916 in France at age 25.
Spencer Roy Searle ^
Cecil continued to fight in the army, soon being promoted to Lance Corporal (usually serving as second-in-command to his Battalion’s Corporal) “in the field” on the 12th September 1916. Cecil was then admitted on a hospital ship to England for severe Myalgia (muscle aches and pains). After recovering Cecil then moved on to the 13th Infantry Training Battalion to recover. He was soon after diagnosed with Mumps (viral illness) and, again, admitted to an isolation hospital on 19th Februar 1917.
After recovering from mumps Cecil was transferred to the 70th battalion from the 50th battalion on the 23rd March 1917 until he attended a 4-day instruction course at 17 Brigade Command Bombing School and qualified as an assistant instructor on the 1st June.
Soon after, on the 27th June 1917, Cecil was promoted to be a Temporary Corporal, and then promoted to Corporal to establish the 70th Battalion. Cecil and his other brother Milton then proceeded to be in the same battalion (50th) after Milton joined, and Cecil re-joined the 50th on the 21st September 1917. Soon after they joined, the Battle of Polygon Wood began. This put the both of them in a tough position as the 50th Battalion (South Australia) was a part of this war. The operation (British and Dominion operation staged as part of the third battle of Ypres) was nearly derailed by a German attack on the British X Corps to the south of I ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). This battle caused many deaths in the ANZAC troops including Cecil’s youngest brother Milton. He was killed in action in Belgium on the 1st October 1917 at age 22. Milton (Rank: Private) was killed in action after their battalion had been attacked.
Milton Donald Searle ^
After Cecil had witnessed both of his brothers’ deaths he went on to join the 13th training battalion. He then, again, became sick. He was moved to the group hospital on the 10th March 1918. Later on, Cecil was on command at the Musketry School Tidworth where he was attached for duty with permanent cadre (training new units) of the 12th training battalion in April 1918. From 4th April - 4th May May, Cecil attended the 19th Rifle Course Australian School of Musketry where he received a distinguished (1st class) with fair working knowledge of the Lewis gun. Cecil then returned physically safely to duty in Australia at the end of the war in May 1918. He was sent home to Australia after his a letter his mother sent explaining that Cecil had bad arthritis and had been hospitalised during 1916 and that she had lost her other two sons to service of King and Country.
After the war:
After Cecil returned home safely, not much is documented from his later years. Though, we do know that Cecil had enlisted for World War 2 on the 5th April 1942, though there is no record of him embarking on the War.
Cecil Ernest Searle lived a long life, dying in peace on the 10th September 1967 aged 77. Cecil’s grave is located at the Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia along with many others who fought on behalf of Australia and New Zealand.
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