52299: Cecil Egerton Hedges

<p dir="ltr">Not all soldiers died on active service. Cecil died following a swimming accident at a training camp.<br>1918 June 18th: letter from Cecil to his mother in Bicester:<br>King George Hosp, Sat aft Dear M, safe home at last and in good hands.<br>I cannot use my right hand or either legs at present (spinal paralasis I think)<br>DON'T WORRY!! I'm ALRIGHT!! COME UP and SEE ME SOON<br>WITH LOVE Cecil.<br>1918 July 13th: telegram from George William Hedges to Sid. G. Hedges:<br>Cecil passed away this morning best love Hedges.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">1918 July 19th Bicester Advertiser reports on the Sunday School Anniversary; refers to "the passing away of their comrade C Hedges. This youth had been a scholar in<br>their school and had also for a short time been a teacher. They had just heard that he had passed into the presence of his Master. Naturally they all felt too full to apply their<br>sympathy to...but he felt sure that the prayers of those present would go out to his father and mother in their loss." </p><p dir="ltr">His gravestone, Bicester cemetery:<br>In loving memory of dear Cecil, youngest son of George William and Mary Ann Hedges<br>who entered the homeland Jul 15th 1918, aged 19 years.<br>Death is a port whereby we pass to life.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr">His brother Sid G Hedges went on to become an author, with more than a million books sold, many of which were about swimming.</p>