Cyril Storer was born in 1896, son of Mary and John Storer of The Crescent, Selston.  

A local newspaper reported on Cyril as follows:- 

‘ PRIVATE C. STORER, SELSTON 

Private Cyril Storer of The Crescent, Selston, aged 22 years, enlisted on September 9^th, 1914 in the Sherwood Foresters, but was transferred to the …. Royal Marine Battalion.  He was drafted to the Dardenelle's in July 1915, and was sent back in September of the same year suffering from dysentery. He was sent out again to the East on February 15^th, 1916 and later he was transferred to France.  On May 15^th, his parents received a letter from one of his comrades ( Private J.Parkin) stating that he was reported as missing, and on May 23^rd they received a letter from another comrade to the same effect, and this sad news was confirmed by an official letter from the Admiralty.  The parents have not yet received any other news whatever concerning  his whereabouts, but are living in the hope that even yet he may be alive and a prisoner of war in Germany.  If any reader can give information concerning their long lost son.  The address is Mr John Storer, The Crescent, Selston, Notts. 

The following were the letters received:-  “Just a line to let you know the news about your son Cyril.  Well, he has been put down as missing.  I hope you take this news as calm as you possibly can.  I know it will be very hard to take it calm, but try and do so and hope for him to turn up again, as I think he will.  I hope to God and look to God that he does, because he was my best pal.  I would like to meet him after the war is all over.  I hope you will let me know if you receive anything from him – Private J Parkin, No 585, 1^st Royal Marines Battalion Headquarter Company, B.E.F.” 

“No doubt you will think it is strange with me not writing you a few lines before now, but after waiting two weeks or more, hoping to hear more news about your son Cyril, I am very, very sorry to say, after enquiring at the orderly room a few times, that they have got him down as missing.  No doubt you will take it very hard at this sad loss, but I want you to try and bear it, for we are looking forward to hearing more about him soon.  You know he might have been taken prisoner of war.  You want to know when we last saw Cyril.  Well, it would be on the 25^th when I last saw him, but Jack saw him on the 27^th April, and he says it would be about 10 o’clock at night, but after coming out of the charge he was missing.  I want you to excuse me for putting myself forward, but have you not had word from the Admiralty yet about this. You see I have read the letters you wrote to Jack, and I thought you would have mentioned it in your letter.  I am awfully sorry to write you such sad news, but we feel it our duty to do so, for he was a real good lad and such a cheerful comrade.  I feel it just as bad about him as I have about my brother who died of wounds on April 27^th, for Cyril was always ready to give any of us a hand and I feel his loss very keen, and if you should ever receive any news about him I should like you to let me or Jack know. I can assure you that we feel it very hard at losing such a cheerful comrade, and from the bottom of our hearts, we both sympathise with you, but we are hoping to hear better news about him yet.  I shall keep enquiring at this end to see if they hear anything about him, and if we do we should be only too pleased to let you know. I want you to cheer yourselves up and let us all hope for the best, as we might hear more about him in the near future.  P.S.  Jack is writing you a letter in a few days time.” – Private Thomas Radford, 9^th Company, 1^st Batallion, R.M.L.I.  ??  R.N.D.  B.E.F. (native of Sutton in Ashfield).” 

Cyril Storer is commemorated at the Arras Memorial, which commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen who died in the Arras Sector between Spring 1916 and 7^th August 1918, and have no known grave.  The Arras offensive took place during April and May 1917.

Last Updated 28^th Dec 2002