Percy Fuller (1899-1918)

Post date: Sep 28, 2017 8:18:5 PM

Percy Edward Fuller was born in the first quarter of 1899 in Castle Hill, Brenchley, Kent to Edward (a carpenter) and Kate. It is probable that his father left the family or died before the 1911 census as by then Percy was living in a 4 room cottage on Canon lane, Wateringbury with his Grandparents (and an uncle and aunt) and attending Wateringbury School and in the Wateringbury Scouts troop. His Grandfather was George Hook, 67 years of age in 1911 and working as a farm bailiff. 

The  Boy's school log records in 1911 July 4th: 5 boys absent today to attend King’s Rally of Boy Scouts at Windsor. They were A. Hollands, B. Pickett, H. Yendall, R. Rogers & P. Fuller. Percy was also recognised in 1919 at a service in Wateringbury Church as one of the 5 Wateringbury scouts killed in WWI. He is on the school memorial but not the village's.

We do not know when he enlisted but at his death, aged 19, on 27th March 1918 he was still a private (service number 41116) and was in the 7th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs. Kate Fuller now living at 1 Oak Lane, Sevenoaks. 

He is one of 14,400 British casualties commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, 6 km. north east of Albert, The Somme, France. They are all from the period March to August 1918, when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers (German reinforcements having arrived from the Eastern front but before significant US numbers on the Allied side) across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918.

Also commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial is fellow Wateringbury Scout, Walter Maytum, who had been killed just a few days before Percy on 22nd March. 

His battalion's diary is available in the National Archives (ref WO-95-1853-1). The following is a transcribed version of the days surrounding Percy's death on 27th March. There is a note at the end of March's entry that the  "original diary was destroyed by shell fire ...The diary has therefore to be written up from such information and documents as were available."

WAR DIARY OF 7th BATTALION NORFOLK REGIMENT

(WO-95-1853-1-1)

26th March to 31st March 1918

26th At 4 a.m. orders were received that the Brigade were to put out outposts to cover the approaches to ALBERT and AVELUY and “C” Company were detailed for the latter duty and immediately went out and took up positions. At 8.30 a.m. the GOC sent for Battalion commanders and at 9 a.m. the Brigade moved out to take up a line on the River ANCRE between the northern outskirts of Albert and the southern edge of Aveluy. Advanced posts were put out on the river bank and the main line of resistance on the railway. A ,B and D Companies were in line and Bn HQ in the factory in rear. Later in the morning orders were received for the outposts to be withdrawn and demolition of bridges and ???dations to be carried out. The Res were unable to complete the latter work in time owing to lack of explosives. C Coy was withdrawn from AVELUY and placed in support in the factory. About midday it was discovered that the Suffolk Company on our right had withdrawn to a position about 100x further back. Captain Weaver then altered the dispositions of his company by drawing back his right flank and touch was again obtained with the Suffolks. Later, however, the the left platoon of the Suffolks appeared to have moved to their right and before the gap could be filled, the enemy had established himself in a building at this point. The line had consequently to be re-established slightly in rear . During the afternoon hostile artillery became active and machine gun fire gradually increased until it became very intense. At dusk the enemy attacked our right front and the left of our defensive flank and succeeded in gaining a footing in our advanced positions at some points. He was immediately ejected by a counter-attack launched from the support line and a light machine gun was left in our hands. Brigade was informed that we were being hard pressed and a company of the Essex Regt and a company of the Northants Regt were sent up to reinforce us. The Essex were put into reserve to B&C Coys and the Northants dug themselves in on the crest behind the factory. The rest of the night was quiet.

27th At 4 a.m. Battn HQ moved back to the crest behind the Northants. From then onwards this position was heavily shelled and was swept by machine gun fire. During the morning the right flank retired, but the enemy did not then press his attack, and the machine gun fire slackened somewhat. Lt. Col. Rees took out about 40 men and re-established this line. Much trouble was experienced at this time by   ??? fire from hostile aeroplanes. Our right flank was now in the air and no information could be obtained as to the position of the Suffolk Regt. A Lewis gun was posted on the road about a 100? away to our right. A party was sent out to hold the road between this section and our line but could not maintain its position owing to artillery fire. Later Captain Weaver and RSM ?Gorden? went out about 400? to the right flank and established a post there.

At about 11 a.m. the enemy were seem advancing in large numbers into AVELUY. It appeared therefore that both our flanks were in the air. Lt. Col. Rees therefore gave the command for the battalion and the Northants and Essex Regt companies to withdraw in waves to the crest in rear with our left on the Bougincourt-Aveluy road. The withdrawal was carried out with great difficulty through a heavy artillery and machine gun barrage. It was found most difficult to form a new line on the crest but a strong post was established in the forked sunken road just south of the Bougincourt-Aveluy road. Here there Lt. Col. Rees, Captain Tapply, Sec. Lieut. Brumbley, two M.G. officers with their Vickers guns and about 150 men. Later a few reinforcements under Captain Weaver, Lieut. Hesilton, 2 Lts Lark & Phillips and Captain Soames RAMC arrived and Captain the Rev. Richards also kept in touch with the post. The position became precarious during the afternoon as the enemy established machine guns enfilading the road and were also working around our left flank. Captian Tapply therefore went back to Battn HQ for instructions. Brigade said the post was to be held if possible and sent up 3 Vickers guns to assist. These never arrived however. At dusk the enemy had almost entirely surrounded the post and eventually rushed it. Lt. Col. Rees was by this time wounded and was taken prisoner together with Captain Soames who remained with him. Most of the garrison, however, were able to withdraw. Captain Tapply had by this time reached the line held by the Northants in rear of the post and hearing that it was hard pressed had taken up two platoons to reinforce. He met the garrison withdrawing and put them in position on the right flank of the Northants which was then on the air.

28th Early in the morning the Brigade was relieved by the 190 Bde and returned to HENENCOURT. At Bougincourt the remains of the battalion were met by Major West, Suffolk Regt., who had been detailed to command the the battalion, with about 200 men whom he had collected. Henencourt was reached about 6 a.m. and good billets werSece taken over.

The following casualties had been incurred. Killed Captain Nash M.C., Sec Lieut Scolding, Wallis Hewitt Brumbley M.C., 6 O.R. Wounded & missing Lt Col ET Rees M.C. and 2 O.R. Wounded Lt. Heseltion Sec Lieuts Blake, Phips, Havers, Hart and 72 O.R. Missing Sec Lieuts Haylock, Barler, Senior, Ingram, Hopton, Clarke , Hill, Capt Soames RAMC and 202 other ranks.. Shell shock Sec. Lieut. D.T. Hodges.

The rest of the day was spent in restingand kit inspections.

29th, 30th, 31st Three very quiet days, only reorganisation the equipment and cleaning up having been done.

Holy Communion services were held on Easter Day.