Name
Percy Frederick Bean
5th November 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1918
19 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23499
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
2/5th Battalion.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Ref. 1.C.27
France
Headstone Inscription
No Headstone Inscription
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield War Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, Not on the North Mymms memorials, Not on the Little Heath memorial(*1)
Pre War
Percy Frederick Bean was born in North Mymms, Herts, on 5th November 1898, to Mother Ethel Maud Bean. Baptised on 29th January 1899, in North Mymms, Herts.
His mother Ethel married George Oliver Reed in 1900. The marriage was registered in Hatfield.
1901 Census records Percy aged 3, living with his mother, stepfather and half-brother George 9 months, in Reeves Lane, Water End, North Mymms, Herts.
1911 Census shows Percy aged 12, living with his widowed Grandmother Ellen Bean, also in the house are his Aunt Beatrice Phoebe Bean (b. 1897), Uncle George Albert Bean (b. 1900), his Great Grandmother Hanna Townsend 76, and her brother William George Townsend, a bricklayer age 51, in Blue Houses, Roestock, St Albans, Herts. Percy had 6 step siblings.
At the time of his enlistment he had been working as a Farm Labourer.
Wartime Service
Percy Frederick Bean enlisted at St Albans 27th January 1915, aged 18, into the Bedfordshire Regiment no. 10815. He had been working as a farm labourer. Percy was 5ft 4in tall, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. His next of kin was listed as Ethel Reed of Robley or Robby Park Farm, S. Mimms, Barnet.
He served in the UK from January 1915 to 30th June 1916, he embarked for France on 1st July 1916.
On 5th August 1916 he was with the Trench Mortar Batt. and initially listed as wounded, missing. Then on the 9th September 1916 he received a gunshot wound to his left arm, he returned home for treatment.
Fully fit he returned on 15th December 1916, embarking at Folkstone, for Boulogne where he was transferred to The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment with the Service No. 23499. At the end of January 1917, he was again wounded and again returned home for treatment. He may have been on leave between 14th and 23rd April 1917 with his address given was Thurston Rd. Potters Bar.
Returning on 15th June 1917, he once again embarked at Folkstone for Boulogne, where he joined the 8th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, on 16th June 1917. He was posted to the 2nd/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment no. 23499.
In July 1917 Percy received yet another wound, an abdominal wounded from a shell explosion on 10th March 1918. He died of these wounds on the 11th March 1918, in the 51st Casualty Clearing Station France.
Percy is buried in the CWGC Merville Communal Cemetery Extension in France.
There is some confusion when Percy died; a telegram was sent to next of kin on 16/3/1918 - P.F. Bean is dangerously ill at 51 Casualty Clearing Station, France. Shell wound to abdomen. This was addressed to Bean, Kentish Lane, Bell Bar, Hatfield. The telegram was not delivered “as the recipient gone away”.
Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of May 1915 recorded in its 9th List of Men Mobilised from Hatfield: “Percy Frederick Bean – Kentish Lane – 3rd Beds Regt. “
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Additional Information
Percy’s personal effects were sent to Mrs E. Bean, (Grandmother) Robley or Robby Park Farm, and later his effects of £19-7s-10d, Pay Owing and £18, War Gratuity went to his Grandmother Ellen Bean.
*1 A newspaper report from the Herts Advertiser dated March 1918 records Percy died of wounds and was "of Little Heath".
Percy’s name has now been added to the Hatfield War Memorial.
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger recorded that an “In Memoriam & Roll of Honour Album was ordered for the relatives/friends of Frederick (Percy) Bean; the address given was Woodhill House, Kentish Lane, (Little Heath) Hatfield.
See letter below.
“21-1-20 Westfield School
Dear Sir
I have reminded Messrs. Gilmore & Spencer of the souvenir enquiry with regard to Messrs. Archer, Bean & Wilson, none of these have been to Hatfield since the war. Their people also have left the district & I cannot find where they now live – I should say the card you have received re Fredk. Bean (killed) refers to the Percy Bean in question
Yours Mr ? Clark.”
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Mike Allen, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
