CEF Soldier Detail

Sapper Cephas Hector Abbott
Died: March 18, 1919

Regimental Number:
2022430
Survived War:
 No
Force:
 Army
Regiment:
 Canadian Engineers
Battalion:
 Canadian Engineers
Company:
Place of Birth:
Lakefield Ontario
Country:
 Canada
Next of Kin:
Edward James Abbott, father. Mission City, British Columbia
Address at Enlistment:
Mission City, British Columbia
Date of Birth:
October 7, 1890
Trade or Calling:
Plumber & Musician
Marital Status:
 Married
Prior Military Experience:
No
Place of Enlistment:
 Vancouver, British Columbia
Date of Enlistment:
March 27, 1918
Age at enlistment:
27
Height:
 5 Feet 8 Inches
Chest:
 35 Inches
Expansion:
 3 Inches
Religion:
 Methodist
Enlisted or Conscripted:
 Enlisted
Saw service in:
Great Britain    
Cause of Death:
Died of Illness
Battle Died/Wounded:
Date of Death:
March 18, 1919
Age at Death:
28
Buried at:
 Seaford Cemetery, Sussex, England
Plot:
 A. 646.
Commemorated:
 
Prisoner of war:
No
Interned:
Gender:
 Male
Ethnic Origin:
Caucasian
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Research Notes

Rank Regiment Unit Company
Sapper Canadian Engineers Canadian Engineers
Images
The Grave of Sapper Cephas Abbott at Seaford Cemetery, Seaford, Sussex

Son of Edward James Abbott and Charlotte Ann Abbott, of Mission City, British Columbia.

Cephas Abbott was born in Lakefield Ontario and lived at 33046, 3rd Avenue in Mission City, British Columbia. This house was built in 1912 in “Ontario style”.  He lived next door to his father Edward James Abbott who was a fruit-grower, inventor and businessman.  His mother was Charlotte Anne Abbott. The house is still there and is now named “Cephas Abbott House” Cephas was a Methodist and a keen musician – he played several instruments and was particularly interested in liturgical music.

He studied at the University of Toronto. In the early years of the war he worked as a plumber and as this was a reserved occupation. However Cephas joined the Canadian Expeditionary force in Vancouver, British Columbia on 27th March 1918. His occupation was shown on his attestation papers as a Plumber, Tinsmith and Vulcanizer.  Cephas made the long journey to Seaford Camp departing Canada on June 29, 1918 and arriving at Seaford Camp on July 26, 2918. At this time Seaford Camp  was suffering from a huge outbreak of influenza.  The draughty wooden huts must have been uncomfortable and many soldier died of fever. The peak was in October 1918 when over 50 soldiers died within a month.   

On arrival at Seaford Camp, Cephas joined the camp band and it is sad to note that one of his first duties was to attend military funerals at Seaford Cemetery on the Alfriston Road. On January 31, 1919, Cephus married Ellen Mary Squires [a local English girl]. He was originally scheduled to return to Canada on February 21, 1919.

He remained in Seaford until after the war had formally ended and his family believe that he stayed on in order to remain in the band aftyer he could have returned home. He succumbed to the flu himself and died on March 18, 1919.  Source: Kevin Gordon, Seaford, Sussex