Cedric Alfred Humphries was born on the 26th of December 1913 in Kidderminster, the son of Henry Alfred John and Ethel Eliza Humphries.

Cedric attended Sebright School in Wolverley as a day-pupil, achieving excellent academic results which gained him entry to Downing College, Cambridge, where he attained a degree (MA). 

In 1935, he joined the Royal Grammar School in Worcester as an assistant master, later becoming House Master at Whiteladies. He was a well-loved and devoted coach for both the rugby and cricket teams at the school, and his prowess with a cricket bat soon saw him representing the County.

Cedric also trained as an Officer Cadet before receiving a commission into Worcestershire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 28th of December 1940.

Cedric made thirteen first-class appearances for Worcestershire County Cricket Club between June 1934 and July 1935, all of them in the county championships. 

The right-handed batsman and medium-pace bowler made his debut against Lancashire on the 9th of June 1934 at the County Ground, New Road in Worcester. Cedric top-scored in Worcestershire’s first innings with a commendable 41 runs – unfortunately however, he was run-out in the second innings for just 5 runs, with Lancashire winning the match comfortably.

In his next match, Cedric played against Cambridge University, catching the Hampshire opener and England test player, John Arnold off the bowling of team-mate Cyril Harrison (one of three catches he took for the County).

Cedric played his thirteenth and final first-class match against Northamptonshire on the 20th of July 1935 at the County Ground in Northampton, a match that Worcestershire won by 39 runs.

In all, Cedric scored 328 runs for Worcestershire in his 13 matches, with an average of 16.6 runs per match. His top score was 44 (versus Cambridge University).

Two of Cedric’s brothers, Gerald and Norman, also played briefly for Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

In addition to his County exploits, Cedric also played for The Gentlemen of Worcestershire XI against The Gentlemen of Suffolk XI; he was also an outstanding Rugby player, representing the Herefordshire and Worcestershire combined XV on several occasions.

Later, having become involved with training and instructional work whilst in the Army, Cedric made three appearances for the Eastern Command cricket XI in 1943.

Since the 24th of June 1944, the date they'd landed in Normandy, The Worcestershire Regiment had been at the vanguard of Europe's liberation - fighting continuously as part of the 43rd (Wessex) Division.

Known as the Wessex Wyverns by the rest of the British Army, the 43rd was also known as “the fighting yellow devils” by their German opponents, a sign of their respect for the aggressive fighting spirit of the men from the west of England.

In early November 1944 when the allies were planning their advance towards Cologne, it became apparent that their left-flank needed to be secured before the attack could proceed, with the town of Geilenkirchen being an objective.

This task fell to XXX Corps, which included the 43rd Wessex Division - with the Worcesters' being tasked with taking the town of Tripsrath to the north of Geilenkirchen. This planned attack was named Operation Clipper.

Clipper commenced on November the 18th, 1944, and the Worcester’s War Diary describes the German defensive barrage as “one of the most trying ordeals the Battalion ever experienced.” On that opening day, Cedric’s Unit was holding a position at the small village of Pannenschopp on the Dutch/German border.

Such are the fortunes of war that by complete chance, a 105mm German shell directly hit the slit trench that he and a colleague were sheltering in, instantly killing him.

Captain Cedric Alfred Humphries is buried with 29 other men of the Worcestershire Regiment in the British War Cemetery at Brunssun, Holland. The moving headstone epitaph chosen by his family to best reflect his character was: 

IT IS NOT LIFE THAT MATTERS,  'TIS THE COURAGE YOU BRING TO IT

He is the only man on the two Memorials at Royal Grammar School Worcester who is not an Old Boy of the school. He is also commemorated on the Kidderminster War Memorial and the Worcestershire County Cricket Club memorial.