Name
Percy Charles Peacock
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265348
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
II. D. 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints Church Memorial, St Paul's Walden, Whitwell Village Memorial, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Percy Charles Peacock was born in St Pauls Walden in 1893, the son of Ellen Peacock.
On the 1901 Census he was living with his mother at East Hall, St Paul's Walden, Herts and she gave her occupation as caretaker. By the 1911 Census he was living with his mother at the home of his grandmother Anna Louisa Peacock at Whitwell, St Pauls Walden, and was working as a house boy.
He married Annie Bird in Hitchin on 31 Dec 1915 and they had a daughter Eunice born on 24 Aug 1918. They then lived at The Green, Hartest, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and later at 5 Baxter Street, Bury St Edmunds.
Wartime Service
Percy enlisted at Whitwell and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment, initially under regimental no. 2228, as a territorial soldier on 5 Jun 1913. When war was declared, the first Battalion was at the annual Territorial Army summer camp and were embodied for war service expecting immediate orders to go to France, however, they were moved to Bury St Edmunds and received further training for about two months. They eventually went to France, leaving from Southampton and arriving at Le Havre on 6 Nov 1914 and moved to the Ypres sector.
Percy was wounded in the leg and shoulder at Guinchy on 17 Apr 1915 and was repatriated back to England where he remained until 23 Jul 1916 when he returned to France to take part in battles of the Ancre in late 1916. In 1917 the Battalion was involved in the Battle of Paschendaele. Percy’s service number was later changed to 265348 in the Territorial re-numbering in 1917 and at some time he served with 4 Company of the Regiment.
On 21 Mar 1918 the German Spring Offensive began. The Herts Regt were part of 116th Brigade, 39th Division, VII Corps in the 5th Army. At 1.45pm that day, the 116th was placed under the orders of the 16th Division which had been very heavily attacked and virtually annihilated. They moved forward during the afternoon towards the retreating line of the 16th Division and took up positions north, east and south-east of Villers Faucon which is north-east of Peronne, being under heavy enemy bombardment. On 22 March the Herts were heavily engaged in the recapture of St. Emilie, but later in the day retreated to a line near Tincourt. Much confused fighting occurred during the retreat and many casualties were suffered. It was during this period that Percy was reported Missing and his death was later presumed to be 22 Mar 1918.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £21 and arrears of £1 5s 10d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 5d for herself and her child. His mother also applied for a pension but it was refused.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk,
