Second Lieutenant, Royal Sussex Regiment
Born: December 21st 1898
Died: September 28th 1918
Age at Death: 19
Killed in action, France, September 28th 1918
Son of George F. West.
A donation to the memorial statue has been made in honour of this soldier by Jeromé Freedman (Al. 1949-52), Also 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment.
I entered Aldrich House in 1949, 37 years after Cyril West entered Durnford. Like him, I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Royal Sussex Regiment; in my case, the 1st Battalion in 1960 during my National Service serving in Northern Ireland. It will be my honour to commemorate his name and service to his country.
Jeromé Freedman (Al. 1949-52)
Obituary, Brightonian XVI December 1918
C.F.E. West came to the College in September, 1912, from Sidlaw House, Bognor, and entered Durnford House. Without being a very conspicuous athlete he was good at games, getting into the 2nd XI. Cricket in 1916, and the 2nd XI. Football in 1915-15-17. He was House Prefect in Durnford in July 1915, and a School Prefect in May, 1916. In the O.T.C. he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in July, 1916. In April, 1917, he passed into Sandhurst, and was gazetted to the Royal Sussex Regiment in May, 1918. He visited the College frequently while attached to the 3rd Batt. of the Royal Sussex at Newhaven, but was afterwards send to Tunbridge Wells and attached to the Wiltshires, with whose 6th Battalion he went to France. His career as a solider was cruelly short, but it was long enough to endear him to the officers and men with whom he came into contact. Mr. West has received a number of letters of condolence from the front from one of which (a letter from a Sergeant) we quote the following: "I am proud to say that your son died like the hero he was: like an officer and a gentleman. He had no fear of death: a braver lad never made the supreme sacrifice."
Cyril Frederick Ernest West
Cyril West was born on December 21st 1898 in Wandsworth, London. He was the only son and second child of George West, a railway contractor and subsequently manager of a Steel Mill, and his wife Lucretia (née Hollingsworth). The family subsequently moved to West Byfleet Surrey and in 1912 West entered the College. He was a member of the 2nd XI for both Cricket and Football, and a Sergeant in the OTC.
After leaving the College he went to Sandhurst for officer training and received a commission in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment in May 1918. In the Sumer of 1918 he was then transferred to the 6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment, now part of 14th Division. He was then involved in the final battles of the war in Flanders, known as the “Fifth Battle of Ypres” when he was killed in action on 28th September 1918.
His grave is in Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Ypres, Belgium.
Source: LEST WE FORGET PROJECT, Brighton College 2014/15