Percy Douglas Alsop

After volunteering he was posted to the Transport Section of the Sherwood Foresters but was later invalided home and discharged. Later, on 10 December 1915, he again enlisted, presumably under the Derby Scheme but later attended a deferment tribunal in Beeston when he appealed on medical and business grounds. He had only left a sanatorium some months previously and as soon has he was able to work had bought a dairyman's business. His application for deferral was unsuccessful and he was mobilised on 16th February 1916 with the 3rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters.. He was sent out in a draft to France in May 1916 where he was wounded on 8th July 1916. After repatriation and treatment, he was sent out again to France on 31 December 1916 with 15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. In August 1917 a raid was launched on Guillemont Farm and the commanding position known as 'The Knoll'. 105th Brigade was given this task and after extensive artillery fire 15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters advanced at 0400 hours on the 19th August. When the barrage lifted and the battalion reached the enemy position they found the artillery had done their job, hand-to-hand fighting continued until the Germans were driven back, the assault being over in some fifteen minutes. By 0540 hours the companies returned with their wounded and a few prisoners. Tragically, three of the wounded were at the hands of the Royal Flying Corps who machined gunned them down unaware they were firing at their own men. During this action and enemy shellfire, Alsop had stuck to his post with a Lewis gun team but was killed instantaneously during a further raid near Guillemont Farm. After Percy was mobilised, his dairy business was continued by his younger brother, Noel Guy Alsop. In September 1918, aged 18, he too enlisted and was demobilised on 16th October 1919.

Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery Grave Reference: ii G 22