Military History

Percy is listed as being killed in action on 25 Sep 1915, he was initially reported as being missing in action.The following a description of the events of that day is a precis of the information from various sources including the war diary.

On 24th September 1915 the battalion took positions at L Farm and Railway Wood in preparation for an attack on enemy lines the next day on 25th. On 25th September 1915 the attack, which was one of three divisionary attacks launched by the allies with the largest being this one, took place and was the second attack on Bellewaarde, on the Ypres salient. The attack was launched at 4.30am on the 25th across a 2000 yard front from Hooge to the Bellewaarde Ridge. Alfred's 5th Battalion attacked on the left supported by 5th Shropshire Light Infantry and the 9th Rifle Brigade in front. The German front line was taken at three separate points across the Bellewaarde ridge, but Bellewaarde Farm was not captured.

There followed a number of attempts to bomb the enemy out of the intervening stretches of their front line but the inferiority of British grenades at this stage of the war meant that these were unsuccessful. In the afternoon a strong German counter attack developed which fell hardest on 9th Rifle Brigade near Railway Wood. 9th King’s Royal Rifle Corps, also of 42 Brigade moved up in support but both battalions were driven back to their own line. However they did manage to keep possession of the new mine crater.  Eventually the 5th Bn and the Shropshire Light Infantry were forced to withdraw. No ground was gained and they took very heavy casualties of 454 men including Percy.