Military History

Percy was admitted to the 39th Casualty Clearing Hospital, Cittadella, Italy on 16 Jun 1918 with Shrapnel Wounds to his back and was then transferred to the 18th Ambulance Train on 17 Jun 1918 and the taken to the King George's Hospital in Stamford Street, London where he died 4 months later on 18 Oct 1918 of 1. GSW [Gun Shot Wound] to the Back and 2. Paraplegia.

Click here for more about the Italy Casualty Evacution Chain from the Long Long Trail website.

We believe that Percy was wounded on the 15th/16th Jun 1918 during The Second Battle of the Piave River and the following description of events is courtesy of the Lightbobs (History of the O&BLI) website.

June 15th - near Vaister Farm, Canove, Italy: At 3 a.m. the enemy put down a barrage of gas shells on our front and reserve lines, and simultaneously bombarded with T.M.'s, M.G.'s, and Flammenwerfer for some three hours. Under cover of this shelling, the enemy came over and penetrated a portion of our line, and our right front was forced back at 4.30 a.m.
 
Major Pickford's Account.
"An enormous shell dump was blown up at Handley Cross, the cross-roads past which all traffic to our sector must come, and our communications forward from Bat­talion Headquarters were all destroyed in the first five minutes, and backwards in the first 45 minutes. The actual attack was made shortly before 7 a.m., and, as identified by prisoners captured, no less than seven battalions were involved in the attack on our front; the front on our right, which had a very exposed approach, was intended to be turned by a flanking movement. The front on our left was pierced, and a wedge driven in. Our front companies, after putting up a great fight in the outpost line, where the small garrison found itself surrounded, contested every inch of ground, but were engaged in rear by enemy who had filtered through on their left, and towards noon were compelled to withdraw fighting to the neighbourhood of Battalion Headquarters.
 
"Meanwhile an improvised semi circular defence had been made on a small ridge around Battalion Headquarters, which was in a sunken road some 500 yards behind the front line; and after our local reserves and our H.Q. Company had delivered two counter­attacks without succeeding in restoring the front line, this line of rocks and bits of trenches were manned by the surviving clerks, orderlies, servants, cooks, etc. These men held out all day against repeated attacks, despite the fact that the enemy had got machine-guns into position level with H.Q. on the right, 200 yards away in front, and 500 yards behind on the left. Later in the day our depleted garrison was reinforced by the Berks, and at dawn next morning, following close on a Stokes Mortar barrage, we and the Berks counter attacked, to find the enemy in the act of retreating in considerable disorder, leaving hundreds of dead and wounded; and we were able by 7 a.m. (16th) to restore our original line, and to send patrols into No Man's Land."
 
Summary of Battalion Diary continued.
The casualties in the Battalion were :--
Officers Killed or Died of Wounds.
Captain A. Allan, M.C.
Captain R. P. Buxton.
Lieut. V. Garlick.
2nd Lieut. R. A. Buttery.
2nd Lieut. N. A. Luck (R.W. Kent).
2nd Lieut. T. Moore.
And 42 Other Ranks.
 
Wounded.
2 Officers and 92 Other Ranks.
 
Missing.
34 Other Ranks.