Cecil Banes-Walker
Encyclopedia
Frederick Cecil Banes-Walker (born 19 June 1888, died 9 May 1915) was an English first-class cricket
er who played five matches for Somerset County Cricket Club
. He also played rugby for Clifton Rugby Football Club
, and hockey
for Gloucestershire. He was killed in action
during the First World War.
against Kent
. Batting at number nine
, he made 5 and 28 in a nine wicket loss. For his next match against Yorkshire
, he was promoted to number three as Somerset fell for just 90 runs, chasing Yorkshire's 372. Following on, Banes-Walker remained not out
on 15, and Somerset lost by an innings. His home debut brought another loss, Worcestershire
the recipients this time, claiming a ten wicket victory, Banes-Walker's 8 and 23 while batting at number eight doing little to affect the match. His highest score came against Hampshire
, as he hit 40 in the first innings at the County Ground, Southampton
. Somerset lost by an innings again, and Banes-Walker was to finish his first-class career win-less as Essex
eased to a ten-wicket victory in his final match.
, but shortly after was gazetted
into the 3rd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment as a second lieutenant
(on probation) on 7 October 1914. He later completed a machine-gun course, and was attached to the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment as a machine-gun officer in March 1915. On 9 May 1915 the British launched the Battle of Aubers Ridge
. The 2nd Devons were not involved in the assault, but seem to have been ordered into the front British trenches in support. The battalion's war diary records that as they were moving up, they came under heavy German artillery and machine-gun fire, and that between 6:45 and 7:30 Banes-Walker was killed, along with another second lieutenant. Four other second lieutenants were injured at the same time. On 19 May, The Bridgwater Mercury reported that his father received intelligence that his son had been killed. Banes-Walker was buried at Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery, Fleurbaix
, France.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er who played five matches for Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
. He also played rugby for Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol, England. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway.Clifton...
, and hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
for Gloucestershire. He was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
during the First World War.
Cricket career
Known as Cecil Banes-Walker, he made his name at Long Ashton Cricket Club. He made his first-class debut in July 1914 in GravesendGravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
. Batting at number nine
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
, he made 5 and 28 in a nine wicket loss. For his next match against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
, he was promoted to number three as Somerset fell for just 90 runs, chasing Yorkshire's 372. Following on, Banes-Walker remained not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
on 15, and Somerset lost by an innings. His home debut brought another loss, Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
the recipients this time, claiming a ten wicket victory, Banes-Walker's 8 and 23 while batting at number eight doing little to affect the match. His highest score came against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
, as he hit 40 in the first innings at the County Ground, Southampton
County Ground, Southampton
The County Ground in Southampton, England was a former cricket and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club from the 1885 English cricket season until the 2000 English cricket season...
. Somerset lost by an innings again, and Banes-Walker was to finish his first-class career win-less as Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
eased to a ten-wicket victory in his final match.
Military service
On the outbreak of the First World War, Banes-Walker enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment as a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, but shortly after was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
into the 3rd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
(on probation) on 7 October 1914. He later completed a machine-gun course, and was attached to the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment as a machine-gun officer in March 1915. On 9 May 1915 the British launched the Battle of Aubers Ridge
Battle of Aubers Ridge
The Battle of Aubers Ridge was a British offensive mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I.- Background :The battle was the initial British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois...
. The 2nd Devons were not involved in the assault, but seem to have been ordered into the front British trenches in support. The battalion's war diary records that as they were moving up, they came under heavy German artillery and machine-gun fire, and that between 6:45 and 7:30 Banes-Walker was killed, along with another second lieutenant. Four other second lieutenants were injured at the same time. On 19 May, The Bridgwater Mercury reported that his father received intelligence that his son had been killed. Banes-Walker was buried at Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery, Fleurbaix
Fleurbaix
Fleurbaix is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village some northeast of Béthune and west of Lille, at the junction of the D176 and the D171 roads, at the border with the department of Nord...
, France.