Cecil Bertram Valentine Peck

Cecil Peck

Gunner Cecil Peck

10th Field Artillery Brigade, AIF

Service Number: 9962

 

 

 

Born: 31 December 1895, The Rock, NSW

Died: 11 May 1917, Etaples, France

Cecil Bertram Valentine Peck was born on 31 December 1895 at The Rock in the Wagga Wagga district, the son of Henry and Charlotte (nee Hitchcock) Peck. Peck’s father was a teacher. He was transferred to the Macleay River district, first to Stuarts Point and later Pelican Island. Young Cecil completed his schooling at Pelican Island Public School. Before enlisting, he was employed as a storeman in a local business in Kempsey. Around 1912, Peck’s father was transferred to Luddenham Public School.

Peck enlisted on 13 October 1915, citing his father as next of kin. After a period of training, he embarked on HMAT Berrima for Egypt on 17 December 1915. After arrival in Egypt, Peck was assigned to the Divisional Ammunition Column. On 13 April 1916, he was transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade as a gunner with the Brigade Ammunition Column at Serapeum before being transferred to the 37th Battery of the 10th Field Artillery Brigade on 22 May 1916.

On 13 June 1916 Peck arrived in Marseilles, destined for the Western Front. He was wounded on 6 May 1917 and admitted to the 23rd Field Ambulance. He was transferred to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station and on the following day to the Liverpool Merchants Mobile Hospital at Etaples. Peck died on 11 May 1917 from his wounds. The local Methodist minister at Luddenham conveyed the sad news to his parents.

Peck left his property at The Rock to his father and his belongings to Lyal Weslie Judd, his sister’s son. In his kit, he had among other things, Egyptian stamps, ‘foreign’ coins and a badge from a German helmet.

By 1920, Henry Peck was living at ‘Ellerslie’ in Warwick Street Hornseywood Estate, Penrith. He died in 1939 at Parramatta.

Memorial Details:

  • Etaples Military Cemetery, France
  • Honor Roll, Memory Park, Penrith
  • Honor Roll, Methodist Church, Luddenham

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