Pte 114275 Percy Beaumont Midgley

• Age: 25
• From: Drakelow, Derbyshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• Died Sunday 15th December 1918
• Commemorated at: Archangel Allied Memorial

Born in 1893 at Drakelow, Derbyshire, Percy was the eldest of four children born to William Henry “Harry” Midgley and his wife, Kate Gertrude (nee Beaumont). He was baptised on 08th March 1893 at Walton upon Trent.

The 1901 Census shows the couple with their four children;-Percy 8 years; William 6 years; Cyril 5 years; and Kate 3 years – living at Drakelaw Park, Church Gresley, where “Harry” is the gamekeeper on an estate owned by the Gresley Baronetcy family. The Baronetcy of Gresley of Drakelaw was created on 29th June 1611 for George Gresley of Drakelow Hall, He became High Seheriff of Derbyshire and MP for Newcastle under Lyme. 

In 1911 the family live at 3 Holmefield, Sutton in Craven, Keighley when Harry is a labourer at a worsted mill. Percy is shown as an apprentice painter and decorator; William is an apprentice in an iron foundry; Cyril is an apprentice with the Co-op grocery chain; and Kathleen (Kate) is a part-time worsted spinner.  

Military records are slightly confusing – Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) show Percy as having been born in Burton on Trent, living in Nelson, Yorkshire (sic) enlisted Keighley and served as Private 18528 in the West Riding Regiment before serving as 114275 in the King’s Liverpool Regiment. The Register of Soldiers’ Effects shows him only as Private 114275; while the Medal Rolls show him as having previously served as Private 48116 in the 27^th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. They all agree that he died in Russia on 15^th December 1918.

The website for Sutton in Craven, states that Percy volunteered in 1914 but was rejected before applying successfully in January 1915 and enlisting as Private 48116 in the Northumberland Fusiliers. However, there is also a record of a Percy Midgley, 17 years 9 months, born in Nelson, near Burnley, enlisting in the 4^th West Riding Howitzer Brigade, RFA (TF) on 25th February 1914 as Gunner 681. This record is very sparse and there is no indication as to what happened to this man thereafter. It might be that the SDGW reference to Nelson etc is an error based on this man or perhaps this was when Percy Midgley was turned down in 1914?

Percy went to France with 27^th Northumberland Regiment and in a report in the “Craven Herald” of 02^nd March 1917 there is a report that “A field postcard was received last weekend by a friend of Private Percy Midgley saying that he had been admitted to a hospital in France. His younger brother, Private Cyril H. Midgley, was wounded last year and is in Clipstone Camp”. Clipstone training camp was one of the largest built in WW1 and was situated near Mansfield.

Percy was invalided from France to the UK and in September 1917 was in Eastbourne Rest Camp, while Cyril was still in England. On 28^th September 1917, the “West Yorkshire Pioneer” reported on the “khaki wedding” of Pte Cyril Harry Midgley in the Baptist Chapel, Craven, when Percy attended and acted as Cyril’s best man. Early in March 1918, Percy himself was married to Annie Shuttleworth, with marriage being registered in Skipton, Yorkshire.

Having recovered from his wounds, Percy was transferred to the 17^th Kings who came back to the UK from France in June 1918 with 75^th Brigade which was retitled 236^th Brigade and then saw service in Russia.

On 15^th December 1918, Percy Midgley died of pneumonia, aged 25 years and leaving behind a young widow.

The “West Yorkshire Pioneer” reported on his death at Pless in Russia, adding that before enlisting Percy had been an active worker at the local Baptist Sunday School. It added that his brother Cyril, wounded in France “some months ago” was still in England and that their father, now widowed, was living in Wright Street, Sutton Hill.

Percy is commemorated on the Archangel Allied Memorial to the Missing.

During both world wars, Archangel was one of the ports through which the Allies assisted Russia with supplies and munitions. The cemetery was begun immediately after the occupation of the town in August 1918 by the Allied force sent to support the Soviet Russian Government against potential threat from German occupied Finland and other local sources. It was used by No.85 General Hospital, No.53 Stationary Hospital, No.82 Casualty Clearing Station, HM Hospital Ship 'Kalyan' and other Allied hospitals. 

ARCHANGEL ALLIED CEMETERY contains 224 burials and commemorations of the First World War, including special memorials to 140 officers and men with known burials in cemeteries elsewhere in northern Russia. Two of the burials are unidentified. The cemetery also contains 7 Second World War burials. The ARCHANGEL MEMORIAL, which consists of panels fixed into the east wall of the cemetery, commemorates 219 British officers and men who died during the north Russian campaign and whose graves are not known.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Annie

His younger brother, Private Cyril H. Midgley served as 5384 West Riding Regt and  as 143030 RFC and RAF, address Hazel Grove, Sutton-in-Craven

Percy's name is also on the Craven war memorial.

We currently have no further information on Percy Beaumont Midgley. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.