Percy Townend
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Percy was the second son of Samuel and Annie Jane Townend (née Edwards). His father Samuel was born in Kirk Smeaton in 1864 and his mother Annie Jane Edwards was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1872. Samuel and Annie Jane were married in 1892 (reg. Pontefract) and had five children; all but the youngest, Mabel, were born in Kirk Smeaton: Frances Grace bap. Womersley St Martin; John bap. St Martin; Percy; Sam bap. Hampsthwaite and Mabel b. Hampsthwaite bap. Hampsthwaite. In 1901 Samuel (36), a coachman (domestic) and Annie (26) were living on Oak Street, Crossflatts, Bingley, Yorkshire, with their five children, Grace (8), John (7), Percy (5), Sam (2) and Mabel (1). By 1911 the famiy had moved to Bradford where Samuel was working as a horse keeper for a general carrier. Grace was working for a coal merchant, John was a barber, and Percy worked in a bakery while Sam and Mabel were still at school. According to a report of Percy's funeral in the local paper in 1918, his parents had lived in Retford for four years before moving to Lound where they lived in Courtwall Cottage. Samuel and Annie were still living at the same address in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Samuel was described as a retired farmer. Annie died in 1947 (reg. East Retford) and Samuel in 1964 (reg. Newark). Percy's two brothers also served in the war. John also in the Royal Field Artillery as a gunner (4095/831689). He enlisted on 27 May 1915 and was discharged (wounds) on 22 May 1918 (discharge unit 7 Res. Bde (T) RFA) and issued with Silver Badge 388126. He served overseas and qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Sam served in the Royal Navy as a signaller. He joined at HMS Ganges as a Boy 2nd Class on 28 May 1915 and enlisted on 1 August 1916, his eighteenth birthday, on a 12 year engagement. Sam's last service date was 31 December 1919.
Gunner Percy Townend served with the 68th battery 14th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, Percy attested in Huddersfield in June 1915 along with his older brother, John. Percy served in France where on two occasions he was gassed, on each occasion receiving medical treatment in the UK. He returned to France after the first incident in June 1917. Percy died in Tooting War Hospital on 7 January 1918 of the results of mustard gas poisoning. His body was brought to his parents in Lound the following day and he was buried with full military honours on Friday 18 January in Sutton (St Bartholomew) churchyard (in the new part near North boundary). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'R.I.P.' CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Mrs. Annie Jane Townend, of Courtwall Cottage, Lound, Retford' Retford and Worksop Herald & North Notts Advertiser, 22 January 1918: ‘Military Funeral at Sutton. There was a military funeral at at Sutton Church on Friday afternoon [18 January], at which the Rev. CN Hatfield officiated. The firing party from, Retford, with arms reversed. The buglers, the coffin, covered with the Union Jack and with beautiful wreaths, resting on a gun carriage, the carriages containing the mourners bringing up the rear, slowly passed along the road from Lound to Sutton. The deceased soldier was Gunner Percy Townend, RFA, who died on Monday in hospital at Tooting, 21 years of age. His body was brought to Retford on the following day and was conveyed by the military to the home of his parents, Mr and Mrs S Townend. ‘The funeral service was of an impressive character, and after the committal portion three volleys were fired over the grave, and the ‘Last Post’ was sounded. The chief mourners were:- Mr and Mrs S Townend (parents), Gunner John Townend RFA and Signalman Sam Townend RN (brothers), Nurse Grace Townend and Miss Mabel Townend (sisters), Mr Wm Townend and Mr DF Townend, Wakefield (uncles), Mr and Mrs John Richards, and Mr W Edwards. Wreaths were placed on the grave from father and mother, brothers and sisters, Townend family, nursing staff at Tooting, Mr and Mrs John Richards and family; Mr and Mrs Kelk and Gladys, Lound; Miss Amies, Mr Johnstone, and Mrs Pettinger and family, Retford. ‘The deceased joined the colours with his brother, Gunner John Townend, at Huddersfield on June 5th, 1915. After going through several engagements in France, he was sent to a hospital in England suffering from ‘gas’. On June 11th, 1917, he returned to France, and after taking part in other engagements was again ‘gassed.’ The parents received a letter of sympathy from Colonel Ackland, surgeon at the hospital, and the nursing staff, who were most devoted in their attention, and also from the Rev RD Foster, Ordsall. Mr and Mrs Townend lived at Retford for four years before removing to Lound.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father, Samuel, was his legatee Original research by Colin Dannatt
