Percy William Hind
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Percy was the youngest child of William and Sarah Elizabeth Hind who had four children: Minnie, Thomas (b. 1885), Annie (b. 1888) and Percy (b. 1894). All the children were born in Bottesford, births registered in Grantham, Lincolnshire. His father William was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Hind and was christened on 30 December 1855 in Bingham parish church. In 1891 William (35), a joiner/carpenter, and his wife Sarah (29) were living at 33 High Street, Bottesford, with their three children; Minnie (7), Thomas (5) and Annie (3). Ten years later in 1901 William and Sarah were living at 16 High Street, Bottesford, with their three youngest children, Thomas, an apprentice joiner/carpenter, Annie and Percy (6). The eldest child, Minnie, of no occupation, was in the household of her grandparents, John Philcox (71) and Sarah Philcox (70) at 8 Chapel Street, Bottesford. Percy joined the Royal Navy in 1910. In 1911 Percy's parens were living at Moor Lane, Bingham, in the household of William's unmarried brother, Thomas Tinley Hind (45), a wheelwright. William was still working as a joiner/carpenter and his wife's occupation was given as 'housekeeping'. Also in the household was Minnie who was ''helping at home'. Percy's parents were still living at Moor Lane when his mother was notified of their son's death in 1915.
Percy joined the Royal Navy on 5 August 1910, a few weeks short of his 16th birthday and signed on a 12 year engagement on his 18th birthday. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Ganges, 5 August 1910-22 May 1911 (Boy 2nd Class, 7 March 1911 Boy First Class); HMS Berwick, 23 May 1911-20 September 1911; Pembroke I, 21 September 1911-16 October 1911; HMS Inflexible, 17 October 1911-18 March 1915 (Ordinary Seaman 29 August 1912, Able Seaman 20 October 1913). Record annotated, ‘DD. 18 March 1915. Killed in action in Dardanelles. NP1282.15.' He was killed in the Dardanelles during the Gallipoli campaign and was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. HMS Inflexible was an Invincible Class battlecruiser launched in June 1907 and commissioned 1908 (scrapped 1921). Joining the Gallipoli operation in 1915, Inflexible bombarded the outer Dardanelles forts on 19 February and 15 March 1915, and during the attack on the 18th put two 14inch guns out of action. There was superficial damage from Turkish gunfire and given the date of Percy's death it is probable that he was killed during this attack. Inflexible was seriously damaged by a mine on 19 March while manoeuvring and was towed to Malta for repairs. These were completed by the end of May 1915 and the ship sailed for Rosyth to join the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron.
Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday 23 March 1915 (photograph): ‘AB PW Hind of Bingham, formerly of Bottesford. Killed on HMS Inflexible while in action in the Dardanelles. Aged 20 he had served nearly 5 years in the Navy and 3 yrs. on the Inflexible. Also took part in Falklands battle.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
