The son of Henry and Alice Beckford he was born in West Ham, Essex. He married Eleanor Bailey in April 1939. In the 1939 Register they are living in 27 Sheperton Road, Orpington, Kent where Cyril was working as a market porter.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Dorset Scout Section | Scout Section Member | Unknown | Unknown |
| Operation Haggard | SAS combatant | 14 Aug 1944 | 09 Sep 1944 |
| Operations Archway & Howard | SAS combatant | 06 Apr 1945 | 29 Apr 1945 |
| Operations Archway & Howard | SAS combatant | 06 Apr 1945 | 29 Apr 1945 |
Market porter
It is not known exactly when he joined the Scout Section.
In January 1944, along with most of this Scout Section he joined the Special Air Service after being requested to attend a recruitment event in London for former Auxiliers.
11 Apr 1945 Reported missing believed prisoner of war along with Sergeant Youngman, Corporal Burgin, and troopers Beckford, Eden and Merryweather. This was during Operation Howard. He and Corporal Burgin were reported no longer missing shortly after suggesting they evaded capture.