Military History

Percy is listed as being killed in action on 19 Jul 1917. The Battalion war diary entry for the 18th/19th July is transcribed below. At this time the Battalion was in front line positions near Junction Building which were SSW of Hollebeke and NE of Messines.

Right Subsector - 18th July: The C Coy garrison of the newly taken position was relieved about 3am by two platoons of D Coy which carried on the consolidation. Hostile artillery fire was fairly active on the whole area during the day

At 9.30pm the enemy opened a heavy barrage on our front line. This was observed from BN HQ and a protective barrage was put on Junction Buildings by the covering artillery. Almost at the same time the garrison of Junction sent up the SOS Rocket which was responded to by the artillery. The enemy attacked at 9.40pm driving our garrison from the post. Three of our men were reported missing. A report is appended.

Our C Coy was relieved by D Coy 9th Welch which arrived in the trenches shortly after the fighting for the post had commenced. Our counter attack having failed to drive the Germans from Junction. D Coy 9th Welch was ordered to attack at 3.30am [19th] the attack was successful

Right Subsector - 19th July: About 6.30am a report was brought down from the front line by 2/Lt G.W. Dymond to the effect that the Germans had again driven our Garrison from Junction Buildings. The position remained uncertain until 8.15am when Lt. J.R. Mallalieu who had been sent up, returned with definite information that the enemy had occupied the position. Nothing had been seen of the attack by any of our troops in the front line.

It was found later by questioning the survivors of the garrison and German prisoners that two Companies of the enemy had attacked and driven out the garrison of whom 2 officers and 13 other ranks were killed or missing out of two platoons forming the garrison. A Coy of the 7th K.O.R.L. was placed at the disposal of OC 9th Cheshire and was ordered to send up a platoon and two Lewis Guns to reinforce the weakened company of the 9th Welch.

The Battalion with on Coy 9th Welch and one Platoon of 7th K.O.R.L. was relieved in the subsector by three Coys of 7th K.O.R.L. and one Coy of 7th East Lancs.