Name
Percy Charles (Aka Williams) Wigfall
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/08/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3398
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
33rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRAY MILITARY CEMETERY
II. J. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin Boys Grammar memorials
Pre War
Percy Charles Wigfall served as Percy Charles Williams. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs Charles Wigfall of Normanhurst. Lime Tree Ave, Peterborough. As a boy he was a resident of Hitchin and attended the Hitchin Grammar School. Circa 1912 he left England to take up an appointment in India.
Wartime Service
He joined the Australian Imperial Force with the Number 3398 in the 33rd Battalion. This was a New South Wales contingent and formed part of the 9th Infantry Brigade in the 3rd Australian Division. The Australian on-line War Memorial records a connection to Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
He arrived in England in June 1918 and made a visit to Hitchin. In August 1918 the 3rd Australian Division was part of the Fourth Army and had already taken part in the Battle of Amiens on the 8th August and the subsequent rapid advance towards the old Somme battlefields. On both the 21st and 22nd August 1918 the nights were clear and the moon was full. The 3rd Australian Division was on the right of III Corps and held a line from Tailles Wood to the Somme Canal. Its task was to secure the southern flank of III Corps by an advance of about 2000 yards to some high ground immediately to the north of Bray-sur-Somme. Zero hour was 4.45 am.
There was no preliminary bombardment, but the German artillery was already active with high explosive and gas shells causing a number of casualties. Casualties occurred throughout the day.
Initially buried on the battlefield north of Bray-sur-Somme, after the Armistice his body was moved to Plot II, Row J, Grave 7 in the Bray Military Cemetery, south east of Albert near the Somme.
Additional Information
Also known as WILLIAMS. He had two brothers, who had also attended Hitchin Grammar School, in the forces at the time of his death.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
