It is with great sadness that we have to inform you of the passing our National Treasure, Cecil Deller, who died on Christmas Eve 2023.
Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Cecil Deller
9 Platoon, A Company, Suffolk Regiment
'Dedge' Deller joined the Battalion at Sanneville in July 1944 and served all the way through to VE Day. He was Batman to Lieutenant Brooks over the winter of 1944-45 and later served in Palestine. His best mate Doug Cullingham was killed by shrapnel in the foxhole they shared at Venray. Virtually every year since he retired, Cecil has returned to his grave in Holland to honour his chum.
Mark Forsdike - The Men
Fighting Through To Hitler's Germany - Personal Accounts of the Men of 1 Suffolk 1944-45

Presentation of County certificate to Mr Cecil Deller by Cambridgeshire County President Col (Ret’d) R Herriot OBE DL
A Normandy Veteran, Cecil joined the Royal British Legion, Alconbury Branch, in 1946 soon after being demobbed. He immediately assumed a role on the Committee and was instrumental in ensuring that the Branch grew from an initial membership of nine.
Cecil continued to be an active member of the Branch until its amalgamation with the Great Stukeley Branch in 1973. Cecil joined the Great Stukeley Branch and continued to be an active member of the then Great Stukeley & Alconbury Branch, eventually assuming the role of Branch President.
With the closure of the Great Stukeley & Alconbury Branch, Cecil then found himself a member of the Brampton & District Branch. Cecil continued, to be an active member of the Branch Committee, regularly attending meetings and supporting events for both fund raising and attracting new members. He was always willing to engage with people, young and old, and his keen sense of humour and humility when relating his service stories kept them interested and wanting them to find out more, not only about his experiences but also the Royal British Legion.
Cecil was also actively engaged with the Poppy Appeal, working as a Poppy Appeal Organiser at both Alconbury and Great Stukeley covering an area of seven villages. This work has been honoured with Cecil receiving numerous accolades and letters of recognition for his collection work.