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Auction: 22102 - Orders, Decorations and Medals e-Auction VI - e-Auction
Lot: 452

Five: Lieutenant W. G. Percy, 1st/5th Battalion (London Rifle Brigade), London Regiment, who was severely wounded during the attack at Glencorse Wood, 16 August 1917 and went on to see Home Service during the Second World War

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. W. G. Percy.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, overall contact wear, very fine (5)

William George Percy was born on 28 February 1896 at Hackney, London, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Percy of 16 Chippendale Street, Clapton Park, Hackney. Educated at St. Olaves Grammar School young Percy went in a very different direction to his Police Constable father, appearing on the 1911 census with the job title of 'Designer in art needlework'. Joining the 1st/5th Battalion (London Rifle Brigade), London Regiment in April 1916, commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 1 March 1917 he entered the war in France on 2 May.

The Battalion moved to start positions at 01:45 on 16 August 1917 with the intention of assaulting Glengorse Wood. At 04:45 they advanced behind a heavy barrage and made good progress with few losses, the exception being at Inverness Copse were a concentration of machine guns caused serious problems. The record of the attack from this point is fragmentary, it is known troops from 'A' Company were seen by contact aircraft in the south-west of the Wood and troops digging in. As the rest of the Battalion began to meet with greater resistance, stalling the advance and cutting off those troops in the wood. They never returned to the Battalion and their fate is unknown although later in the day a carrier pigeon brought an undated and unsigned message simply stating 'we are surrounded'. Bogged down and suffering heavy losses the rest of the Battalion began to withdraw only to find themselves in the teeth of a counter attack by the German 49th Reserve Infantry Regiment. They were pushed back through the ground they had taken at such cost throughout the day and were back in their own trenches by 17:00. The Battalion lost heavily with 12 Officers ending up as casualties and 24 other ranks killed with 172 wounded and 147 missing.

Evacuated back to Britain Percy was promoted Lieutenant on 1 September 1918 but was not to see any further active service. He was invalided in April 1919 and saw no service until 1940 when he received an Emergency Commission to 2nd Lieutenant and served in this rank until 1945 with the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own). Percy died in October 1993 at Worthing, West Sussex; sold together with census information, war diary extracts and army lists as well as London Gazette entries, M.I.C. entry and an extract from the The History of the London Rifle Brigade.

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Estimate
£160 to £200

Starting price
£150