Name
Percy Underwood
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1914
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
10272
Bedfordshire Regiment
'D' Coy., 1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10 and 11.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour
Pre War
Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Phoebe (nee HOWLETT) UNDERWOOD of Watford.
His parent’s marriage is proving elusive. Thomas died 1908 in Watford aged 57, and was buried 14 November in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Elizabeth died 1931 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 14 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Percy was born 17 or 22 January 1894 in Finchley, London, [not Watford]. He attended first Callow Land Infants’ School, Watford; then Callowland Board School from 1 January to 11 October 1901; then Alexandra School, Watford, from 21 October 1901 to 16 July 1903. He resided in Watford.
On the 1901 Census, aged 7 he lived in Watford, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1911 Census, a grocer’s assistant aged 17, he still lived in Watford, with his widowed mother and no siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 16 August 1914, and was killed in action in the First Battle of Ypres, repulsing a German attack south of the Menin Road near Ypres.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, Percy’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There is a caption to a photograph of Percy in the Watford Illustrated dated 11 September 1915.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
