Cyril Garnet Wyld
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Cyril Garnett Wyld was born 1886 he was the son of Henry, a wine merchant, and Fanny Maria Wyld née Garnett of Eastwood Nottinghamshire.Henry was born in 1850 at Eastwood, Fanny Maria Garnett was born in 1852 at Newark, they were married on 15th January 1874 at St Mary Magdalene at Newark they had 13 children, sadly 8 died in infancy or earl childhood. Cyril married his wife Emily Louisa Green on 7th February 1912 at St Marys Church, Eastwood His older brother, William Garnet Wyld, served as a Private in 2nd Sherwood Foresters, serving abroad from 19th September 1914 and being taken prisoner of war a month later and not repatriated until December 1918. Another older brother Henry Garnet Wyld served with 10th battalion Sherwood Foresters.
Cyril Garnet Wyld was originally a non-commissioned officer in 10th Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters and it was whilst serving with this unit that he was mentioned in despatches. Wyld was commissioned from the ranks, presumably because he displayed significant leadership qualities and there was a need for officers, and then served with the 9th Yorkshires.He was formerly Corporal 14996 in 10th Sherwoods, going to France on 14th July 1915 and then being commissioned in March 1916. He was killed in an attack on Horseshoe Trench on 5th July 1916.
Wyld was killed at Contalmaison in the action where a fellow officer of his battalion, Donald Simpson Bell, won the Victoria Cross.Bell’s award was for what follows:-“Because of his athleticism and leadership, he was selected for the dangerous role of leading bombing teams. On the afternoon of 5th July 1916, shortly after the start of the Battle of the Somme, he was in charge of a small group of bombers who were ordered to capture an enemy position dug in along the crest of a ridge, a mile to the south west of Contalmaison, named ‘Horseshoe Trench’. The citation for his Victoria Cross read:“For most conspicuous bravery at Horseshoe Trench on 5th July 1916. During an attack a very heavy enfilade fire was opened on the attacking company by a hostile machine gun. Second Lieutenant Bell immediately, and on his own initiative, crept up the communication trench and then, followed by Corporal Colwill and Private Batey, rushed across the open under very heavy fire and attacked the machine gun, shooting the firer with his revolver and destroying gun and personnel with bombs. This very brave act saved many lives and ensured the success of the attack. Five days later this gallant officer lost his life performing a very similar act of bravery”.Captain Archie White, a fellow Green Howard and old school friend of Donald Bell who also won a VC on the Somme, wrote: “Probably no one else on the Front could have done what he did. Laden with steel helmet, haversack, revolver, ammunition and Mills bombs in pouches, he was yet able to hurl himself at the German trench at such speed that the enemy would hardly believe what they saw…”.”Bell is the only English professional footballer to be awarded the VC, Britain’s highest award for valour. He played for Bradford Park Avenue FC, having already played as an amateur for Crystal Palace and Newcastle United. He is buried in the CWGC Cemetery at Gordon Dump nearby. The spot where he was killed in Contalmaison is called ‘Bell’s Redoubt’ and is marked by a memorial erected in 2000 by the Green Howards and the Professional Footballers’Association.Research Simon Williams
