Pte 13200 Percy John Lewis

 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 153 Phythian Street, Liverpool and shows his father is employed as a plumber. His parents have five children, Percy is 1. 

 

1901 The parents with nine children are living at 106 *Penton Street. His father, 50, is a plumber, his mother is 40, Percy is 11.

 

His mother died a year later, in February 1902 when Percy was 12.  Sadly, the youngest child Frederick died at age 7 around new year 1907.  His father died a few months later.

 

In 1911 Percy and seven siblings are living at 54 Penton Street.  Older brother Harold, 29 is head of household. Harold has been totally blind since the age of two, and is employed as a mat maker in a workshop for the blind. Emma, 28, is a restaurant waitress, James, 26, is a packer for a furniture company, William, 23, is a printer (letterpress), Louisa is 19, at home, Thomas is 15, a messenger for an electric lighting company, and Jessie is 13, at school. Percy is 21*....

 

Percy enlisted as Private 13200 in the 11th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. His service record has not survived, but based on the amount of the War Gratuity, he served about 22 months, enlisting in about January 1915. He went to France on 19th May 1915. He subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment and was killed in action on 26th November 1916.

 

Percy survived the Battle of the Somme, including the Battle of the Transloy Ridges in October.  At the end of October the battalion moved north of the Somme to take over a section of the line opposite Bienvillers. 

On 26 November 1916, the War Diary records;

“Casualties caused by dugout falling in - Wounded, shock and contusions Private W.J. Denny;  Killed - Pte. S. Phillipson 49244, Pte. P. Lewis 13200, Pte. J. Turton. 24526.”  

Percy was 27 years old when he died. He now rests at De Cusine Ravine British Cemetery, Basseux, France. 

800 metres South East of the village is a ravine called the Fosse de Berles, but known to the French troops (who had a field kitchen there) as the Ravin des Cusines; and on the further side of the ravine is the British Cemetery bearing a modified form of the French Army name. A French Military Cemetery close to it, also named from the ravine, has now been removed. The cemetery was begun by the 13th King's Royal Rifles in February, 1916, and used by units holding this front until March, 1917; one further burial took place in September, 1917. There are now over 60, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Two brothers are buried in Row C, graves 6 and 7. The cemetery covers an area of 615 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall. 

He was reported killed in action and later reported accidentally killed. 

 

His siblings placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 7th December 1916:

 

Percy earned his three medals.  His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £10 were shared by sisters Louisa, Jessie, and Emma, and brothers Harold, James, and Thomas, and sister in law May (William’s wife).  His brother William served in the Royal Engineers in Mesopotamia 1917-1919.   A pension of 5/- a week was granted to his sister Louisa for one year.

 

Sadly, Percy has not been found on any memorial.