Military History

Percy is listed as being killed in action on 15th April 1918. The following description of the events of the 15th is taken from the book The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment by Charles Lethbridge Kingsford. The book is available to read (no charge) on the Internet Archive.

The 4th Division, like the 61st, had been brought up to reinforce the line on the Lys, and on April 18 reached Hinges.

After pushing out patrols, on the evening of April 15 the 1st Royal Warwickshire (now commanded by Lieut.-Col. G. B. Marriott), attacked towards Pacaut Wood. The two left companies had to assemble and cross the Aire Canal under heavy fire, which caused many casualties, they reached the edge of the wood to find it full of machine-guns and thick with the enemy, who had been forestalled in an intended attack. They succeeded in penetrating a short distance into the wood; but the enemy were too strong, and after repeated attempts they were compelled to dig in at dusk on the edge of the wood.

On the right the advance had to be made over open ground, and the companies were enfiladed by fire from the wood. Swinging to the left, in spite of the impediments of wire, one platoon, under Lieut. Bowden, succeeded in reaching their first objective, where he and all but five of his men were killed. Other parties also gained a footing in the wood, but no reinforcements could be sent and they were compelled to retire; at dusk they also dug in. It was a day of many acts of gallantry, both by officers and men, and the battalion was warmly congratulated by the general of the division on the spirit which they had shown in the face of overwhelming odds.