Name
Percy Walter Beacon
5 February 1898
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
04/03/1943
45
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18689
Royal Marine Light Infantry
National Fire Service
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WELLS CEMETERY
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Leonard's Church Lychgate (Survivors), Sandridge, Wells, Rural District Cemetery
Pre War
Percy Walter was born on 5 February 1898 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire to George Beacon and his wife Sarah Emily nee Pearce. He was baptised in St. Albans Abbey on the 17th April 1898.
He was the youngest of four sons ( all the brothers served and survived the Great War and their names are recorded on the wooden plaque on the Lychgate of St. Leonards Church Sandridge ). He also had one older and one younger sister. A stepbrother - Fred Pearce - (who was born to his mother before the marriage to George) also served in the Great War but did not survive (see his record on the HAW website).
His father a cabinet maker by trade had moved from Sussex to St. Albans, close to where his mother had been born in Lemsford. His mothers occupation was as an upholsterer.
In 1901 the family were living at 5 Dagnall Road, St. Albans, his youngest sister was born two years later.
In 1911 Percy was living with his parents and some of his siblings in the village of Sandridge to the north of St. Albans. Percy was still at school.
Wartime Service
Percy enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in London on 10th Dec 1915 - he was only 17 - this fact was recorded on his Service papers as it is noted he was 57 days underage.
At the time he signed up he was working as a Footman and was only 5 ft 2 1'2 inches tall.
He had brown hair and light brown eyes.
Initially he was at a recruit depot in Deal on the Kent coast and he took his swimming test here.
From the 10th December 1915 - July 1916 he remained at Deal and was then transferred to Plymouth.
On the 1st January 1917 he embarked on HMS Resolution and then transferred ship to HMS Revenge in July 1918 until March 1919 when he was discharged from the Marines.
He was Invalided out in April 1919.
Throughout his service record he was recorded to have very good character.
Additional Information
After the war he married Sarah Greening in 1924, in Exeter. On the 1939 Register he is living in Oake , Somerset in the School House . He was working as an unpaid motor mechanic and as a Senior ARP Warden, living with his wife Sarah ( no children ) who was a Certified Elementary School teacher and was Headmistress of the Junior School in Oake since 1937. Percy died when he was only 45 years old, on 4.3.1943. His death recorded as ' Accidental death ' by the Bristol coroner was reported in several local newspapers along with details of his funeral . The circumstances of his death was that he was a Motorcycle Dispatch Rider for the National Fire Service in Taunton and whilst on an exercise he overtook a hay lorry and was on the wrong side of the road when lorry collided with him. He was taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary where he died within a few hours and before his wife could reach the hospital. Articles in the local newspapers describe him as a popular personality within his community and had devoted himself to the welfare of his village since arriving there on the appointment of his wife to the post of Headmistress at the Junior School. He held several roles within the village of Oake: - Parish clerk and member of the Church Council. He was a keen cricketer and a member of Somerset County Cricket Club and was a scorer for the Somerset Stragglers - going on tour with them. He had also been active in the British Legion serving as honorary Secretary of the Oake and Hillfrance subbranch of Milverton. His death was described as a loss to Oake and it would be difficult to replace him in all his roles. He had previously been a A.R.P prior to gaining his first class certificate and joining the Auxiallary Fire Service as soon as it was formed and then became leading Fireman in the National Fire Service based in Taunton. The details of his funeral were also reported int hat his coffin lay overnight in the village hall draped in a Union Jack. A fire engine was used as a hearse and members of his sub branch of the British Legion marched to the church following the cortege. His father and father in law attended the funeral as well as his brother Frederick and his sister in law . On his record for CWGC Civilian Dead he was recorded having died on duty at Coxley ,Somerset. He is buried in the Wells, Rural District CWGC cemetery , the only civilian commemorated there. His father was noted in the CWGC record as living at 5 Spencer Place , Sandridge at the time of Percy's death. His mother had died the year before back in St. Albans and his father died in 1952 aged 95. Percy was the only child to predecease his father. His brothers who served and survived the Great War all lived into their late 80's and early 90's.
Acknowledgments
Sarah Burns
