Cyril Rupert Hancock
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Cyril Rupert was the son of Walter and Florence Hancock (née White) of Crag Lodge, Welbeck, Worksop. After marrying in 1890, Walter and Florence lived at Cuckney Post Office. Florence's widowed mother was the sub post office mistress and Florence her assistant while Walter was employed as a woodman. Walter and Florence had six children, two of whom died in infancy. In their first year they had a daughter, Henrietta Augusta, named after her grandmother. Henrietta was born on 26 January 1891 (J/F/M Worksop) and baptised at Norton Cuckney St Mary on 31 May the same year. Their other children were Winifred Maud b. 11 June 1893 (J/A/S Worksop) bap. St Mary 11 May 1894 d. 1894 (A/M/J Worksop), Reginald birth registered 1895 (J/F/M Worksop) bap. St Mary 2 January 1895 d. 1895 (J/F/M Worksop), Cyril Rupert b 27 November 1895 (birth registered 1896 J/F/M Worksop) bap. St Mary 23 February 1896, William Norris birth registered 1898 (J/F/M Worksop) and Constance Annie b. 1902 (O/N/D Worksop). All their children were born in Cuckney. By 1901 Walter was employed on the Welbeck estate as a gamekeeper while Florence still worked in the rural post office. They had had five children of whom only three survived: Henrietta, Cyril and William. 1911 saw their address as Millwood Lodge, Welbeck, where they were living with their four surviving children: Henrietta (20), as an assistant elementary school teacher, Cyril (15) an errand boy and William (13) and Constance (8) who were still at school. Cyril was later employed on the Welbeck Estate at Hunciecroft Paddocks and in the gardens. The CWGC record gives Walter and Florence's address as Crag Lodge, Welbeck, Worksop.
Cyril Hancock enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters at Welbeck. His battalion sailed from Liverpool in early July 1915 for Gallipoli, landing at Suvla Bay 7 August 1915. Cyril was killed in action two days later, during the battalion's first attack on Gallipoli 9 August 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
Four men who joined the 9th Notts and Derbys from Holbeck and Welbeck Estates fell on the 9th August 1915, John Everett, Cyril Hancock, William Johnson and James Mitchie. Mansfield Reporter, 10 September 1915: ‘Welbeck’s Heroes. Many Portland Estate Employees Fall. Sympathy of the Duke and Duchess. News has reached Welbeck of the death of a number of men who enlisted from the Duke of Portland’s estate, and most of whom are in the Sherwood Foresters. The battalion took part in the fight at Gallipoli, early in August and suffered severely. Among the dead are Lance-Corporal JH Michie, son of his Grace’s wood steward, and Privates William Johnson, Frank Fletcher, Everitt, and Cyril Hancock, all of whom were employed at Hunciecroft Paddocks and in the gardens. Private Arthur Williams is missing, and Private Hayes and Tom Milner are wounded. The sad news has come from Corporal Grant, one of the garden staff, to Mr J Gibson, the Duke’s head gardener. It is a touching letter, and it is easy to discern that it was written under a sense of great personal loss. Corporal Grant writes: ‘Dear Sir, I am writing to confirm the sad news I sent you of those who met their death on the -, It is more than sad to tell you that there is no doubt of the worst having happened to Jimmy Michie, Everitt (from Hunciecroft), Frank Fletcher, William Johnson, and Cyril Hancock. Arthur Williams is missing, and I fear the worst. I have tried several times to find tidings of him but have failed. Hayes from the stable, and Tom Milner are wounded in the legs and are on their way to England. The battle on the , when these men fell was terrible, and the regiment suffered severely, and if you could only have seen the heroism of many of the Welbeck men and others you would have felt more than proud of them. There is no doubt that their behaviour in face of almost certain death, and their coolness was a help to others. Poor lads, they were buried as near as possible where they fell, and a cross on each grave is now all that indicates their last resting place. They fell like heroes. God bless them. The report of Lance-Corporal Michie’s death is confirmed in a letter which Mr and Mrs Michie received from Sergeant Ward, of the 9th Battalion. ‘Just a line,’ he says, ‘to let you know how very sorry I am to inform you of your son’s death. But I am very pleased to say that he died a soldier’s death and was buried by his comrades and we placed a little wooden cross on his grave. He was shot through the heart, death being instantaneous. As you will see by the papers, the Battalion lost very heavily, your son being one of those killed. His loss will be felt by his comrades as he was as good a soldier as could be wished for. I hope you will excuse me taking the liberty of writing to you and letting you know. I can assure you that in your sad sorrow you have his comrades’ sympathy.’ The Duke and Duchess of Portland and members of the family have written to the relatives of the men, expressing sympathy and admiration of their heroism.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
