| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Percival Charles was born in 1892 in Beverley, to wheelwright William Wilson of Keldgate and Ann Eleanor (nee Pinder). Ann died in 1900, Percival was attending Minster Boys School, living at 87 Keldgate. By 1911 Percival was living in London as a boarder in the home of Laurence Shipway Thomas, Percival was employed as a clerk at the Gaslight and Coke Company, London.
Information in the Beverley Guardian after his death shows Percival returned home from London and …‘before joining the colours was in the employ of Messrs Edwin Davis & Co, Drapers, Hull’. He enlisted in the East Yorkshire Regiment in Nov 1914 and served in the 6th Battalion which became the Pioneer Battalion the 11th (Northern) Division. He saw action in the Balkans in Sep 1915: the Division was withdrawn from Gallipoli in Dec 1915 and moved to Imbros, then Egypt taking over a section of the Suez Canal defences. In Jun 1916 the Division was ordered to France to reinforce the Third Army. Percival was killed in action on 4 Aug 1917.
The Beverley Guardian 1 Oct 1917 reported ‘he had been on the front nearly two years’. Percival is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery. His effects were listed as knife, purse, wallet, letters, religious book, pencil case, photographs, 2 discs, chain (metal). Probate was granted to his brother Thomas Wilfred Wilson, grocer of Keldgate, Beverley, and his address was given as 89 New Bridge Road, Hull which was the home of his brother Richard James Wilson.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |