Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Percy William Bradley was born in Chester on 8 September 1893, to parents William and Annie (nee Jackson).  In 1901, the family were living at 32 Water Tower View, Chester but Percy is not listed.  In 1911, Percy (17) is living at 7 Beaconsfield Street, Chester with William (59) a coach smith, Annie (59) and siblings William (30), a loco shed labourer, Sarah (27), a photographer, Elizabeth (23) a theatre clerk and Arthur (20), a local engine cleaner.  Percy is a goods warehouse porter.

On 30 October 1912, Percy married Harriet Martha Roach at St Werburgh’s Church, Chester.  They had seven children; three were born before or during the war; Agnes Mary (1913), William Edward (1914) and Harold P (1917).  After the war a further four children were born; May Isaac (1920), Ronald J (1926), Hilda P (1929) and Margaret J (1937).

Percy enlisted at Ellesmere Port on 6 January 1915, and was immediately posted to the 8^th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers.  On his attestation he was living at 19 Penn Gardens, Ellesmere Port and was an iron and steel worker with the Mersey Iron Works.  He was 21 years old with dark hair and blue eyes; he stood at 5ft 9in tall with a 36in chest and weighed 140lbs.

Percy served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in the Balkans from 28 June 1915 to 23 August 1915.  On 15 August 1915, whilst serving in Gallipoli, he was reported missing.  From his medical report dated January 1917 it states that on 10 August 1915 at Shrapnel Gulley in the Dardenelles “Whilst sapping a shell burst and buried him and his party.  On extrication, he was found to be unconscious and remained so for four hours.  He was detained in the Field Dressing Station for two days and then transferred to a Hospital Ship and removed to 19^th Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen where he was detained for seven weeks.”  It also states that Percy “Complains of general weakness and occasional attacks of severe headache and giddiness.  Also complains of being very nervous in the dark, rarely venturing out at night by himself.”  This was diagnosed as shell shock whilst on active service and he was re-classified and transferred to P(T) Reserve.  http://bit.ly/2k5BLzN.  At around the same time as the shell incident Percy was admitted to hospital for 36 days with dysenteric diarrhoea.

Percy was serving with the 2/7 Royal Welsh Fusiliers when he passed through Peterborough East Station on 15 March 1917.  He wrote in the visitors’  book “Many thanks to the lady attendants for the comfort and refreshments I have received at your hands this night.”  He was stationed at Wrentham in Suffolk.

On 23 June 1917, he was transferred to 349^th Provisional Company, Royal Defence Corps (RDC) at Wangford and on 6 April 1918 to 457^th Provisional Company at Oswestry and was appointed acting Lance Corporal.  He was appointed to Acting Corporal on 4 January 1919.  Whilst in the RDC he spent some time stationed in Dublin.  He was demobilised on 10 April 1919.  Percy was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals and the 15 Star.

Percy’s pension records reveal that following the shell incident and bout of dysentery, which was first diagnosed in Gallipoli, he was found to be suffering from disordered action of the heart (DAH), which caused 40% disability.  He still experienced the effects of dysentery and also heart and chest pain and tremors, together with sciatica.  To learn more about DAH   http://bit.ly/2jGbAjg.  He was awarded a pension of 16s per week for 52 weeks until 15 October 1919.

In 1939, Percy and Harriet were living at 7 Wolverham Road, Ellesmere Port with Harold (22), Ronald (13), Hilda (10) and Margaret (2).  Percy is a galvanizer steel foreman and Harold a butcher’s labourer.  During World War Two, Percy served with the St John’s Ambulance and Air Raid Precautions.

Percy died in Chester in 1955, aged 62.