Great War Theatre

The birth of Cecil Ferard Armstrong was registered at Godstone in January-March 1877; and according to the National Probate Calendar and a notice in the Kensington News and West London Times, 14 December 1934, he died aged 57 on 6 December 1934 in Middlesex. The Stage, 25 April 1918, reviewed ‘Home Service; or, Smith and Schmidt’, ‘a drama in four acts by Captain Cecil F. Armstrong, A.S.C.', i.e. he served in the Army Service Corps. The Eastbourne Chronicle, 5 October 1918, published this appreciation of Armstrong: ‘Below a Napoleonesque cartoon of Capt. Cecil F. Armstrong in the “Summerdown Camp Journal,” the following appreciation is appended: “Our ‘Army’ of Occupation has left us - and words cannot express how much we shall and do miss him! The first officer to join Summerdown Camp - before it was ‘Summerdown’ - he soon began to make it the hub of the universe, as the centre of military art attraction, and the home of the military drama. The Summerdown ‘panto’ of the ‘Babes in the Wood’ – Xmas, 1915 - was memorable as placing all of us ‘after him (and Crombie) with the soap’ [sic]. ‘The Second in Command’ and ‘No Gentleman’ afforded him an opportunity of displaying his histrionic abilities. ‘Wanted’ (his own play) showed that on the stage only he could play ‘the cad,’ and his drama of ‘Home Service’ is destined under the auspices of ‘Ole Bill’ to find ‘a better ‘ole’ for its great merits than even Summerdown, where its production will ever be memorable in the annals of the stage”’.

Gender: Male

Served in the armed forces? Yes

Scripts associated with Captain Cecil Ferard Armstrong

Script Role
Home Service Author