Underwood, P
PERCY UNDERWOOD
Remembered with honour Le Touret Memorial: Panel 10 and 11.
He enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 16 August 1914, and was killed in action in the First Battle of Ypres, repulsing a German attack south of the Menin Road near Ypres. Unfortunately, Percy’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
There is a caption to a photograph of Percy in the Watford Illustrated dated 11 September 1915.
Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Phoebe (nee HOWLETT) UNDERWOOD of Watford.
His parent’s marriage is proving elusive. Thomas died 1908 in Watford aged 57, and was buried 14 November in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Elizabeth died 1931 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 14 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Percy was born 17 or 22 January 1894 in Finchley, London, [not Watford]. He attended first Callow Land Infants’ School, Watford; then Callowland Board School from 1 January to 11 October 1901; then Alexandra School, Watford, from 21 October 1901 to 16 July 1903. He resided in Watford.
On the 1901 Census, aged 7 he lived in Watford, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1911 Census, a grocer’s assistant aged 17, he still lived in Watford, with his widowed mother and no siblings.
Service number
10272Rank
PrivateUnit
"D" Company, 1st BattalionRegiment
Date of death
on or since 07/11/1914Age at death
21Place of death
Memorial(s)
- 1st S.W. Herts Scout Troop [in St Mary's Parish Church Watford] (4)
- Abbot's Langley Herts War Memorial (17)
- Aldbury Herts War Memorial (1)
- Aldenham Herts War Memorial (located in Letchmore Heath Herts) (8)
- All Saints Church Croxley Green Herts (12)
- All Saints Church Harrow Weald Middx (2)
- All Saints Church Hertford (1)
- All Saints Church King's Langley Herts (1)
- All Saints Church Leavesden Herts (31)
- All Saints Church Witham Essex (3)