Name
Horace Percy (Percy) Dear
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
269386
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Little is known of Percy Dear; the source of the only information is an undated newspaper cutting from a village scrapbook. His only connection to Pirton may be that he married one of Lewis and Mary Reynolds’ daughters. If that is correct, it would mean that he was the brother-in-law of the six Reynolds brothers who served; George, George's twin Harry, Walter and Albert (sadly both died and are listed on the Village War Memorial), William and Jacob. It is known that Percy was serving in the Hertfordshire Regiment. He was wounded in the right wrist on July 31st 1917, and was recorded following his injury as ‘at Crowborough’ - probably the military hospital at Crowborough Camp, Sussex.
Parish and census records provide no further information, but by 1918 he was recorded as Private 269386, 5th Reserve Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, but attached to the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment. His home address was near Cromwell Terrace - the terraced houses where the village store is today.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
