Samuel Edward Cass

D Bty 50th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

Samuel Edward died at No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station on 22 May 1916, having been wounded in action the previous day. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord, France (grave ref. 1.A.16).

CWGC history of Bailleul Communal Cemetery: The town of Bailleul is close to the Belgian border, 14.5km from Ieper [Ypres]. 'Bailleul was occupied on 14 October 1914 by the 19th Brigade and the 4th Division. It became an important railhead, air depot and hospital centre, with the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 11th, 53rd, 1st Canadian and 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Stations quartered in it for considerable periods ... after the Battle of Bailleul (13-15 April 1918), it fell into German hands and was not retaken until 30 August 1918. The earliest Commonwealth burials at Bailleul were made at the east end of the communal cemetery and in April 1915, when the space available had been filled, the extension was opened on the east side of the cemetery. The extension was used until April 1918, and again in September, and after the Armistice graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and the following burial grounds [listed].

CWGC personal inscription on headstone: 'Also in memory of Lce. Cpl Fred. Cass died 24th April 1917 always remembered.' Samuel's brother, R/9274 Lance Corporal Frederick Cass, King's Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in action on 24 April 1917 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Their brothers, John William and Charles Frederick, also served and survived the war.

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 26 May 1916: ‘Cass. Killed in Action, May 21st (sic) Bombdr. Samuel E Cass RFA, dearly beloved and eldest son of Samuel and M Cass, 69 Mitchell-street, Radford, late of Lenton, aged 24 years. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends.’ (www.britishnewapaerarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 14 June 1916. Photograph with caption: ‘Bomb. SE Cass (RFA), 69 Mitchell St., Nottm., late of Lenton, killed in action May 21.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 22 May 1917: 'Cass. In loving memory of Bombardier Samuel Cass, R.F.A., beloved and eldest son of Samuel and M. E. Cass, 69, Mitchell-street, who died of wounds received in action the day previous, May 22nd, 1916. Also his brother, Lance-Corporal Fred Cass, K.R.R., killed ... in action April 24th, 1917. So sad but so true, we cannot tell why, the best are the first who are called to die. – Sorrowing mother and father and soldier brothers Charlie and Will (in France).'
Item 1917 courtesy of Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 (www.britishnewsaperarchive.co.uk)