Military History

Percy was originally listed as being missing in action on 9 Apr 1917, he family wrote to the Red Cross in July 1917 regarding his whereabouts before he was officially presumed to have been killed on that day. The 11th Battalion war diary entry for the 9th April until early on the 10th is transcribed below.

Warlus – 9.14.17 – 3.30am: Battn paraded & marched to Port D’Amiens, Arras via Dainville. Bde transport & Reiforcements to L.29.a.north of Dainville.

Zero 8.30am:  On arrival equipment was drawn at Bde Dump & a hot meal served

10.30am: Orders received to proceed to Assembly area

12 noon: Battn was in position in 1^st & 2^nd Reserve Line trenches with right flank resting on Cambrai Road: German artillery fire at this time weak & very erratic.

1^st line: A coy right; C Coy (Moppersup) left
2^nd Line: B Coy & Reserve Lewis Gunners in support
Bn HQ: At junction of 1^st Res Line trench & Inverness Trench
D Coy: at Bde Dump (carrying party)

Disposition of Brigade as follows:
Right: 6^th Bedfords, 10^th Loyal N Lancs in support
Left: 8^th E Lancs, 11^th Royal Warwicks in support
Left Flank: 63^rd Bde
Right Flank: 3^rd Division

2.30pm: Bttn received orders to move to old German front line trench south of Cambrai Road, in rear of 6^th Bedfords.

3.30pm: Brigade advancing. Battn in touch with 10^th L North Lancs on left and 6^th Bedfords. HQ’s to old German front line, 200yards south of Cambrai Road. Up to this point no tanks had been observed but three were now seen on our right out of action. Cavalry was seen to massing behind Tilloy and some batteries of Field Artillery were moving forward.

Battn halted for a short while on the Blue Line running north & south between Tilloy and Bois des Boeufs. Dispositions as follows:
Right of A Coy on Cambrai Road; C Coy astride Cambrai Road with B Coy echeloned in rear to the right. Battn HQ in Harfleur Tr at H.31.c.5.5.

At this point a Battn of the Queens passed through us to attack the Brown Line (position running north and south along high ground about 2000 yards west of Monchy le Preux).

5.0pm: Battn advanced as far as line of Sunken Road at N.3.b & d south of Feuchy Chapel, our left resting on Cambrai Road. Here we dug in and remained until 4.30am on the 10^th inst. The Battn was in touch with North Lancs on the left but as connection with troops on our right was bad two Lewis Guns were sent up by Bttn in reserve to help cover this flank.

Battn HQ now moved to old German gun emplacements at N.1.b.8.5 and at 2.30am on the 10^th proceeded to N.3.c.65.85.

10.4.17 – 2.30am: Very little artillery activity on either side during the night

3.40am: Order received to withdraw to N.3.a south of Maison Rouge preparatory to the attack on the Brown Line.