No.15985, Private, Percy John BRAND
Aged 25
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Percy John Brand was born on 30th October 1891 in Hengrave (Thingoe Q4-1891 4A:729), baptised at St Catherine's, Flempton with Hengrave on 6th December 1891, son of Nathaniel
and Julia BRAND (née SADLER).
1901 census...Aged 10, he was at Village Street, Hengrave with his father Nathaniel BRAND [40] woodman on estate; his mother Julia [35]; sisters Nellie [8], Agnes [5] and Violet [10 months]; grandfather John BRAND [74] woodman. All were born in Hengrave. Theirs must have been a reasonably large house as they had 5 estate workers as boarders. 1911 census...Aged 19, he was at Hengrave with his parents, sisters Ellen (Nellie) and Agnes and new brother Arthur [8] born Hengrave. The pension card puts his mother at Bury Road, Hengrave |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds. A summary of account in "The History of the Suffolk Regiment" by Lt Col Murphy :-
The first day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (now known generally as Passchendale). This offensive cost the British 310,000 casualties. Imagine advancing to fight through a field of mud, then add in the fact that in the ten days leading up to the attack, 4.25 million shells were fired by our artillery alone. The 8th Service Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment were involved in the attack on Pilckem Ridge as part of 53rd Brigade. Percy was in "A" Company. They reached their assembly point at 2 am on 31st July and by zero hour (3:50) had established HQ. at Wellington Crescent. During this move enemy shelling set fire to some dumps and a tank, lighting up the ground. As "C" Coy.was passing through Zillebeke a shell burst amongst them, killing and wounding several. The attacking division, through which the 53rd Brigade were to leapfrog when the 1st objective was take, moved off and the 8th Suffolks and 6th Royal Berkshire waited for front line reports that would tell them the way was clear for their advance. By a tragic mistake the 30th Div infantry wheeled to their left and attacked Chateau Wood instead of Glencorse Wood. This misleading information that Glencorse Wood was in our hands led to the 53rd Brigade plunging into a fatal gap. Some did reach the line of the 1st objective. Lt Bolingbroke with scouts, went forward to clear Sanctuary Wood and place signposts to guide the companies. Sniper fire made this a precarious operation but the message was sent back that 30th Div were on the north of the Menin Road and in Chateau Wood. Despite machine gun fire a platoon of B Coy got up to Lt Bolingbroke's postion and they decided to attack the second line (Surbiton Villa) with what troops they could collect, without waiting for support. In severe fighting around Surbiton Villa a party of "A" Coy managed to wipe out a machine gun post.The battalion got onto the Menin Road near Clapham Junction and advanced several hundred yards beyond it before they were checked and forced to shelter in shell holes. That was the end of the attack as the Germans were in great strength around Glenclorse Wood. Whilst waiting here a cock pheasant alighted about fifty yards ahead. A runner shot the bird, carrying it out of battle on the end of his rifle, probably not the first time he had killed game without a licence! 177 casualties were sustained by the battalion in this action, of these 61 were killed and only 6 have known graves. The Bury Free Press of 8th September 1917 reported HENGRAVE MAN KILLED BY A GERMAN SHELL It is with deepest regret that we record the death of Private Percy Brand, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Nat Brand, of Hengrave. The deceased, who was 25 years of age, was amongst the first to join up from Hengrave, answering the call of Lord Kitchener in 1914. He was attached to the 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and went out to France in July 1915.In January of this year he came home for an eight day leave, and on his return to France did duty as a company stretcher bearer up to the time of his death, which distressing occurrence happened on July 31st. Previous to joining the Army he was employed on the Hengrave estate where he won the esteem of his fellow workmen by his kind and cheerful disposition. He was a member of the Hengrave church choir...below is a letter sent to his parents by his Captain:- " August 10th 1917 - My dear Mrs. Brand - It is with deepest regret that I write, as Chaplain attached to the 8th Suffolks,to say how deeply I sympathise with you in the great loss of your son Prvt P.Brand. I saw him frequently during the day. He was a stretcher bearer, and his duty was to bring in the wounded, a dangerous but noble work. He did his share splendidly, and I spoke to him just ten minutes before he was killed. He said he was glad to be helping the poor lads in his way. He was killed by a shell and died instantaneously, and is buried where he fell. I knew your son well; he was very regular at our services........cordially yours Cecil M.Weeksy, Capt.,8th Suffolks H.C". |
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