Name
Percy Rainbird
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/10/1915
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
10512
Essex Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 85 to 87.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Memorial, Parish of South Weald. Essex
Pre War
Percy Rainbird was born in South Weald, Essex in 1897 (baptised 6 Oct 1901) to Thomas Rainbird, bricklayer, and Selina (nee Wright).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Ellen M (born 1887), Thomas (born 1890), Frank (born 1895), Percy, Winifred (born 1899) and Norah (born 1901) were living with Thomas Rainbird, great grandfather of Percy, born 1826, at the Post Office, Coxlie Green, South Weald, Billericay, Essex.
On the 1911 Census Percy was working as a market garden boy and still living with his great grandfather, father, mother Selina (now a sub-postmistress), Winifred, Norah, Henry Wilfred (born 1904), Aileen (born 1905) and Leonard (born 1906) at the post office , South Weald.
Wartime Service
Percy enlisted in Warley, Essex for the Essex Regiment as Private 10532 soon after the outbreak of the Great War. He was probably trained with the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion at Harwich. He was posted to 9th (Service) Battalion and went to France with them on 20 May 1915 to become part of 35 Brigade, 12th (Eastern Division. The Division moved to the Ploegsteert area and took over their front line following a period of instruction from 46 (South Midland) Division.
On 29 Sep the Division moved to the Loos Battlefield and took over a portion of the Front on 30 Sep while under heavy enemy artillery fire. The division repelled an enemy attack on 8 Oct and also another on 12 Oct. It was in this last action the Percy was reported as killed in action on 12 Oct 1915, his remains were not recovered and his remembered on the Loos Memorial.
Additional Information
The Letchworth link not known.
War Gratuity of £4 10s and arrears of £7 9s 7d was paid to his father Thomas.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
