Name
Percy Lee
28 September 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/04/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
203343
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1st/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 82 to 85 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, We are not aware of any memorial in Adeyfield
Pre War
Percy Lee was born on 28 September 1897 in Adeyfield, Hemel Hempstead, the son of Enos and Emma Sawyer and was baptised at St Paul's Church on 7 November 1897. His father was then working as a brickmaker at the local brickfields near Adeyfield. Percy had an older brother Horace Edward and three step-siblings from his father's first marriage. His parents had three other children who died in early childhood.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Heath Road, Sandridge, Herts where his father was working as a labourer.
Percy started school at George Street Primary School in Hemel Hempstead in 1902 and moved to Two Waters British School in February 1906. He left school in October 1910 aged 13 and started work as a Mill Hand.
At the time of the 1911 Census the family were living at 10 Edmund Place, Hemel Hempstead. His father was working as a Stoker in the Gas Works and Percy was a Mill Hand.
His parents later lived at 5B Paradise, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Percy was not old enough to enlist but in early 1915 he went to Hertford and, despite being only 17, he was accepted and joined the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. He was posted to Doncaster in Yorkshire for basic training and was sent to France in late 1916, being posted to the 1/4th Battalion, arriving at Halloy, south of Amiens in early January 1917.
He saw his first major action at the Battle of Polecapelle on 9 October 1917. He had been promoted to sergeant by early 1918 and on 9 April he fought in the Battle of Estaires, part of the 4th Battle of Ypres, followed by the Battles of Messines and Bailleul.
The Battalion then fought in a defensive action at the 1st Battle of Kemmel Ridge, followed by an advance in the 2nd Battle of Kemmel Ridge, where Percy was killed in action on 26 April 1918, aged 20. His death was reported in the local newspaper a few weeks later when it was revealed that the enemy had been "driven out of positions in the Kemel Section and were on the run to a farm. Sergeant Lee could not resist the temptation of sniping them. A Hun sniper evidently saw this and shot the gallant sergeant through the head." He died instantly.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £18 and pay owing of £17 1s 6d. She also received a pension of 5s 6d a week. His brother Horace served in the war and survived.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com., www.hemelatwar.org., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk.
