Name
Reginald Percy Loyd (MC)
20 June 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/12/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Coldstream Guards
3rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
METZ-EN-COUTURE COMMUNAL CEMETERY BRITISH EXTENSION
II. E. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY HIS SOUL TO GOD
UK & Other Memorials
Langleybury Village Memorial, Hunton Bridge, Individual Memorial (External) St Paul's Church, Langleybury, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Eton College Memorial, Berkshire, WW1 & Church Lad's Brigade Memorial, St Mary's Church, Reigate, Surrey, Borough of Reigate Memorial, Surrey, Not on the Abbots Langley Village Memorial
Pre War
Reginald Percy Loyd (known as Percy) was born in Chelsea on 20 June 1895. He was the youngest of three sons of Edward Henry and Clementina Georgina Loyd and was baptised on 23 July 1895 at Christ Church, Down Street, Mayfair, London. The family were then living at their London house, 54 Lowndes Square, and his father's occupation was given as J.P, Herts.
The family had moved to Langleybury House, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire by the time of the 1901 Census. His father was then listed as a Justice of the Peace and had served as the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. Percy was living at Langleybury with his parents and thirteen servants.
1911 Census his parents were recorded as living at 36 Lowndes Square, Chelsea, London with his brother William and nine servants. His brother Henry was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards and Percy was at school in Eton College.
Wartime Service
He initially served with the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment (Territorial Force) as Lieutenant, and arrived in France on 18 March 1915. Percy was wounded on 19 May 1915 during the Battle of Festubert and recovered, but a year later, on 19 July 1916, he was wounded in a trench raid on the German front line, once again in the Festubert sector. His injury was reported in the Hertfordshire Advertiser on 12 August 1916 and he was said to have been "wounded in the left arm, but his injuries are not of a serious character". Following this he joined the 3rd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, which was also based in the Festubert area, and was listed as 2nd Lieutenant in October 1916. His brother Henry Loyd was also serving as an officer with the Coldstream Guards. Percy continued to serve with the Guards throughout 1917 and when the British offensive at Cambrai started in late November 1917, the Coldstream Guards were brought into action at Bourlon Wood.
On 1 December they counter-attacked to stem the German advance. Without the support of artillery and tanks the 3rd Coldstream Guards re-took the village of Gouzeaucourt a few miles to the south-west of Cambrai. Percy Loyd was killed in action in the nearby village of Gonnelieu.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine reported his death: “The news of the death of Captain Percy Loyd on December 1st was received with the greatest regret by all in the Parish, and deep sympathy is felt with Mr and Hon. Ms Loyd. At the beginning of the War he joined the Herts Regiment, and later was transferred to the Coldstream Guards, the officers of which speak in the highest terms of his capabilities and bravery. He died a noble death, leading his company against a hail of bullets, to drive the Germans back after they had broken through at Gouzeaucourt. The Guards had been in it at Bourlon Wood, and were on their way to rest when the catastrophe occurred, and they were hurled into another part of the line at half an hour's notice. He was hit high in the thigh and died in a few seconds.”
He was awarded the Military Cross with the citation "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading his men through a very barrage. When the enemy counter-attacked, he displayed great initiative, and formed a defensive flank under most difficult conditions."
Reginald Percy Loyd was buried at Metz en Couture Communal Cemetery British Extension in France. He is commemorated on the Langleybury War Memorial and on a Plaque on the wall above the family grave at St Paul’s Church Langleybury.
He was not commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial, but was recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine and Roll of Honour throughout the Great War.
Biography
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £72 and pay owing of £10.
On 13th December 1916 the Hertfordshire Advertiser reported:
“An impressive memorial service to the late Captain R. P. Loyd, Coldstream Guards, third son of Mr and the Hon. Mrs E. Henry Loyd, of Langleybury, who, as reported in last week’s “Herts Advertiser,” was killed in action on December 1st, and in which service all other village lads, who had fallen in the war, were remembered, was held at Langleybury Parish Church on Sunday afternoon. The church was beautifully decorated with white flowers.”.
Percy’s brother, Henry Loyd, reached the rank of Major and survived the Great War. Percy's Military Cross was recently sold at auction for £4,200 by a direct descendant.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, spink.com
