Pte 15859 Percival Charles Drury

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Percival Charles Drury was born on the 23rd November 1895 in Liverpool, the son of Charles Samuel Drury and his wife Edith Jane Simmons (nee Edwards) who were married on the 14th May 1894 in Anfield Wesleyan Chapel. 

The wedding was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 15th May 1894: 

Marriages 

DRURY-EDWARDS - May 14, at Anfield Wesleyan Chapel, Liverpool, by the Rev. George Hammond, Charles Samuel, third son of Samuel Drury of West Kirby, to Edith Jane Simmons, eldest daughter of George Edwards of Liverpool. 

Percy was the eldest of their five children. His siblings were Gertrude Mary, Florence Beatrice, Edith Winifred, and George Vernon.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the five year old Percival was living with his parents and siblings at 14 Wyvla Road, Anfield. His father Charles was 31 and was a stationers bookkeeper, mother Edith was 30. He had two little sisters: Gertrude aged 2 and Florence aged 5 months.

By the 1911 Census the family had moved over the water to 32 Kingsley Road, Wallasey. His father, Charles, is aged 41, and a printers stationer, mother Edith is aged 40, they advise that they have been married for 16 years and have had 5 children. Charles and Edith had two more children, Winifred aged 8 and George 6. The 15 year old Percival is working as a stationers assistant.

Percy enlisted on the 31st August 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool, joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 15859. He gave his age as 18 years and 9 months and occupation as a clerk. He was described as being 5 feet five and half inches tall, weighed 114lbs, 33½” chest, he had a sallow complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Wesleyan.  

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service record shows:

25.02.16 - abrasion to foot, 

26.02.16 - sick to 2/1 (Highland) Field Ambulance 

28.2.16 - to 21 Casualty Clearing Station 

02.3.16 - admitted 21 C.C.S. at Havre, ICT feet (injury to connective tissue) 

04.3.16 - admitted to 2 Canadian Gen.Hosp 

23.3.16 - Etaples, ex. 2 G.H. 

12.5.16 - to Battn. 

The 17th Battalion were involved in the fighting which liberated the village of Montauban on 01st July 1916 and were also in the thick of the action at Trones Wood. Following the capture of Trones Wood they were selected to attack the village of Guillemont on 30th July.

Percy was killed in action during the battle on the 30th July 1916, aged 20. He was among close to 500 men who were killed in action that one day.

17th Battalion Diary 

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July.

 The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Percy's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.” 

Perce’s father Charles wrote to the Battalion paymaster on the 16th August 1916 asking for any definitive information about his son as he had heard from another man in D company that Perce had been killed by machine gun fire on the 30th July. Sadly that information proved to be true.

His death was reported in the Wallasey News and gives a good insight into his life and interests before the War:.

Poulton Footballer Killed

Local football will assuredly be the poorer by the loss of Private Percival Charles Drury (21), of the King's Liverpool Regiment ("Pals"), who was killed in action on July 30th. "Perce," as he was familiarly known, was a member of the Poulton Olympic Club in the Wallasey Invisa League, and showed exceptional promise as an inside wing forward. He had also played for Glendale and Liscard Juniors. The sad intelligence was officially conveyed by the War Office to Mr and Mrs C.S. Drury, at, 32, Kingsley Road, Poulton. The fallen footballer was a native of Liverpool and received the initial five years of his education at the Anfield Road schools. On his coming to reside in Wallasey, the headmaster (Mr J. Titterington) presented him with a handsome volume of Tennyson's poems as a token of the esteem in which he was held. His education was completed at the Seacombe Wesleyan Higher Grade School. Previous to enlistment deceased was in the employ of the Royal Liver Friendly Society, and before that acted as a junior clerk to the Liverpool Printing and Stationary Co. He was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church, Poulton Road.

A further report:

Poulton Pal Killed

Mr and Mrs Charles S. Drury, of 32, Kingsley Road, Poulton, have official intimation of the death in action of their eldest son, Percival Charles Drury, of the 17th Service Battalion K.L.R., on the 30th July. He was in his 21st year.

Percy earned his three medals.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s went to his father. His mother was awarded a Gratuity of 2/- a week from May 1918 for 84 weeks, then increased to 3/6d.

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading Lost At The Battle of Guillemont his family, fiance and friend paid tribute to Percy:

“In loving memory of Private P.C. (Percy) Drury, 17th K.L.R. killed in action July 30, 1916. One long year has passed since my great sorrow fell Yet in my heart I mourn the loss of him I loved so well. I always think of him when I am all alone For memory is the only friend that grief can call its own. (Always remembered by his fiancée Maud. Dearly loved and sadly missed by all at 19 St. Paul’s Road, Seacombe.”

“In loving memory of Private P.C. (Perce), killed in action July 30, 1916, (1st Pals). “One of the best.” (Never forgotten by his chum Stan, in France.)”

“In loving memory of our dear son, Percy, killed in action, July 30, 1916. (Pals).

Sweet and precious is the memory

Of our dear son who has gone,

And the comfort of his message,

Quite prepared, is wonderful.”

He was also remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918: 

"In loving memory of our dear son, Percival Charles Drury (Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916, in his 21st year. ("God took our loved one from our home but never from our hearts.") - 32 Kingsley Road, Poulton." 

"In loving memory of darling Perce, K.L.R. (1st Pals), killed in action, July 30, 1916.

  Time may heal the broken heart,

    Time may make the wound less sore,

  But time can never stay the longing

    For my loved one gone before.

His sorrowing Maud. Too dearly loved to ever be forgotten by all at 19, St. Paul's Road, Seacombe." 

"In loving remembrance of Perce, K.L.R. (1st Pals), killed July 30, 1916. - Always remembered by May and Stan (in France)."

In 1919 his parents still lived at 32 Kingsley Road and his siblings were living at home: Gertrude 20, Florence 18, Edith 16, and George 14.

In 1939 his parents lived at 459 Poulton Road, Wallasey.  His father, 70, was retired, and his mother was 69.

His father died in 1948 at the age of 79 and his mother the following year, aged 78.

Percy's name is recorded on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 6

Head Office staff on the Royal Liver Friendly Society Memorial housed in the Liver Buildings at the Pier Head, Liverpool.

Parish of Poulton Memorial, Poulton Memorial Hall

Victoria Central Community Hospital, Wallasey

And on the family gravestone in Rake Lane Cemetery, Wallasey -

              ALSO PERCIVAL C. SON OF ABOVE,                 

KILLED IN ACTION 30TH JULY 1916, AGED 20 YEARS

                                     AT REST   

Grateful thanks are extended to Catherine Salt for permission to use the wonderful photograph of Percy now shown on this site. 

We currently have no further information on Percival Charles Drury, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.