Name
Percy Harold Botwright
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
14205
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Percy Botwright was born in Abbots Langley on 25th June 1896. He was one of four Bedmond brothers that served during the Great War. His father John, and mother Emma lived near the White Hart Public House at Bedmond at the time of the 1901 Census and had four sons and two daughters. John worked as a Carpenter. In 1911 the Census recorded that Percy still lived with the family at Church Hill, Bedmond, and worked as a Gardener Domestic.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded Percy, for the first time, serving with the Bedfordshire Regiment in October 1914, which probably indicated that he had attested at that point and had been sent home to await mobilisation. In May 1915 the Magazine listed him with the 4th Bedfordshire’s, and by June he had been posted to the 2nd Bedfordshire’s. He was reported wounded in August 1915. The 2nd Bedfordshire’s were in the Front Line near Festubert in July 1915, and Percy probably received his wound at that point. By December 1915 Percy was serving with the 4th Bedfordshire’s, and continued with the battalion throughout 1916 during actions on the Somme. In December 1916 Percy the the Parish Magazine once again reported that Percy had been wounded, and he was reported wounded for the third time in December 1917. He was still serving with the 4th Bedfordshire’s, and was in action at Passchendaele. Percy recovered and served with the 4th Bedfordshire’s for the remainder of the War, and he remained with the battalion and was recorded with the rank of Corporal in the Autumn 1918 and Spring 1919 Absent Voter Lists. In the Autumn 1919 Absent Voter List he had been transferred to the 3rd Bedfordshire’s, the Home Battalion, based at Bedford, and would have been preparing for de-mobilisation.
Percy’s brother Benjamin was discharged, wounded from the Army in March 1918, and another brother, Arthur was killed in action in August 1917. His brother Edward served in the Middle East, and his brother in law, Herbert Hutchings, who had married his sister Florence, both survived the War.
Percy Botwright survived the War.
Additional Information
Formerly 2nd & 3rd Battalions Bedfordshire Regiment
There may be an error in the service number.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
