Cpl 22531 Percy Grenfell Simmonds

• Age: 23
• From: Chorlton on Medlock, Manches
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 26th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.L.17

Percy Grenfell Simmonds was born on the 28th October 1892 in Chorlton, Manchester, the youngest of six children born to De Lasaux (Delasaux) Egginton Mount Simmonds, a Church of England clergyman, and his wife Agnes Mary (nee Barfoot). He was baptised at St Thomas' Church, Ardwick on 30th November 1892. His parents married on 07th May 1874 at the Church of St Thomas, Fair Oak, Southampton, when Delasaux’s father, Joseph, was the Rector of Chilcomb, Hampshire. Throughout his adult life, Delasaux Simmonds served as a C of E minister and his children’s birthplaces reflect the dioceses in which he served - Somerset, Sheffield, Gloucester and Manchester. Their eldest daughter ,Ada, was a Professor of Music, an organist and a music teacher. 

In the 1901 Census, Percy is living with his parents and family at 2 Green Street, Ardwick, Manchester. Percy is 8 years of age and is living with his parents and five siblings. His father, is 57 years of age, he was born in Chelsea and was the Curate of St Mark's Church, whilst his mother is 54 years of age and was born in Huntingdon. His siblings are recorded as Ada M. a 25 year old Professor of Music, Agnes M. aged 23 and Nora E. aged 19, all three girls were born in Bedminster, Gloucestershire. William J.D. is 15 and was born in Sheffield and Frederick is 12 years of age and was born in Bristol. Also present in the household are Eliza K. Barfoot, his mother's sister and a servant, 37 year old Sarah Windridge.   

Percy was educated at Bury Grammar School from 1906 -1910. Upon leaving school Percy started work for Parr’s Bank in Radcliffe.

In 1911 the family lived at St Andrew’s Vicarage, Bolton Road, Ramsbottom. Percy is now 18 years of age and a bank clerk. He lives with his parents and five siblings. His parents advise that they have been married for 36 years and have had seven children of whom 6 have survived. Ada Mary is now 35 and an organist and Music teacher, Agnes Mabel Delasaux is 33 years old with no occupation shown as is Nora Elizabeth who is now 29 years old, William Joseph Delasaux is a 25 year old bank clerk and Frederick Moyle Simmonds, is 22 and a draper’s shop assistant.

Percy enlisted in Liverpool as Private 22531 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment on 20th November 1914.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Percy served in France with the Pals from 07^th November 1915. He was home on leave at Whit in 1916 before returning to the front. He was killed in action on 26^th June 1916 near Maricourt, he was aged 23.

The battalion diary for 26th June 1916 shows: 

“Maricourt Trenches, Monday 26-6-16, In the trenches as previous day – Very active artillery by the enemy, Battalion relieved the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt at 10.00pm. 56 other ranks killed or wounded.” 

Graham Maddocks describes how during that evening the 20^th Battalion relieving the 2^nd Bedfords in the front line near Maricourt was subject to a severe German bombardment which killed nine other ranks, fatally wounded 2^nd Lieutenant William Hall Jowett who died 2 days later, and wounded 3 other officers and 47 men. Percy was amongst the 9 men of the 20th Battalion killed, the others being Privates W.H. Aitken, J. Askew, M. Bennett, W. Bowden, J. Colligan, F. Davis, A. Howell and P. Prince. 

All of these men now rest at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme.

It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German. 

The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Percy's death was reported in the Bury Times: 

‘It is stated that he was hit twice and badly wounded, and while being conveyed to a dressing station he was again shot and killed outright’

Also the Manchester Evening News of 06th July 1916

RAMSBOTTOM CLERGYMAN'S SON

The Rev. D.E.M. Simmonds, Vicar of St Andrews, Ramsbottom has received information that his son Corporal Percy Grenfell Simmonds, Liverpool Regiment, has been killed in action in France. Simmonds was 23 and enlisted in November 1914. In civil life he was a bank clerk, and was an old boy of the Bury Grammar School.

An officer wrote to Percy's father in glowing terms:

'Your son was a most splendid fellow. He was known as the 'gas expert' because he was our company gas corporal. In these duties, as in all his work, he was most conscientious and enthusiastic. I often thought that he was wasted as a corporal, as he would have been an excellent officer...He was very popular with both the officers and the men and his loss will be keenly felt by all who knew him as a splendid NCO and a cool, quiet gentleman.'

A quote from Natwest Group Remembers:- 

His obituary in the bank's staff magazine quoted a letter to Simmonds' father from one of his officers: “Your son was a splendid fellow. He was known as the 'gas expert', as he was our company gas corporal, and in [these] duties, as in all his work, he was most conscientious and enthusiastic. I often thought that he was wasted as a corporal, as he would have made an excellent officer. I know the Major thought a great deal of Corporal Simmonds, and always relied on him absolutely. I hope you will accept the sympathy of the officers of the company in your great misfortune. He was very popular both with the officers and men, and his loss will be keenly felt by all who knew him as a splendid NCO and a cool, quiet gentleman”.

Percy left a Will and his Soldiers Effects, army pay of £6 8s 8d, War Gratuity of £8 went to his father Rev. D. Eggington and a pension of 7/- pw to his mother Mary Agnes. 

Percy’s two brothers were also on active service but survived the war.

The Ramsbottom Observer on Friday 12th December 1919 concerned the communion table presented to the Church along with silver offertry plates in memory of the late Corporal Percy Grenfell Simmonds; 

The Bishop of Manchester (Dr. Knox) on Friday evening last visited Ramsbottom and conducted the re-opening service at St Andrew’s Church, where several alterations and renovations have been carried out, as exclusively reported in this journal some three weeks ago. The Bishop dedicated the new oak communion table, which has been presented to the church by Mrs P. E. Holden, and silver offertory plates, presented by the two sons of the vicar in memory of their brother, late Corporal Percy Grenfell Simmonds (20th King’s Liverpool Regiment), killed action France. 

His father died, aged 77, on the 13th August 1921.

His death was reported in the Ramsbottom Observer on Friday 19th August 1921;

Ramsbottom people were away on their holidays when they were acquainted with the tragic death of the Rev. D.E.M. Simmonds, the vicar St Andrew’s Church. The painful circumstances under which his demise occurred (reported elsewhere) increased what to everybody -even his closest friends- was a great-shock, as the vicar had never suffered from any serious illness and had appeared in normal health previous his decease. About three months ago, however, he complained of dizziness a month ago, and had a fainting attack. As the doctor has given the coroner a note in which it intimates death was due to syncope, and holding of an inquest has been deemed necessary. Although taking an active part in the public life of the town the rev. gentleman did much good in an unostentatious way, and his loss will be deplored. His pocket was always open to the deserving poor, and there is many a home in Ramsbottom and district which blessed the name Simmonds. It cannot be said that the venerable preacher did not live the allotted span, but it is a great pity that such lives as his should not be spared a great deal longer. The inestimable good he has done will live after him. His association with the young men and women of his church and Sunday school cannot fail to have had a beneficial effect, for he quickly made his influence felt. Too few there are these days who can justly claim to have the same noble motives and to be actuated in all their deeds by the same spirit as the septuagenarian minister possessed, but it is not too much to say that he will have added to the number to those who can, by his lofty example. Truly, he has not lived in vain.

Probate was awarded in Manchester as follows:-

SIMMONDS Delasaux Eggington(sic) Mount Simmonds of St Andrew’s Vicarage, Ramsbottom Lancashire clerk died 13th August 1921 Administration Manchester 5 September to William Joseph Delasaux Simmonds bank clerk. Effects £487 16s 3d.

His mother died, aged 83, in Bury on the 01st July 1930.

Probate was awrded in Manchester as follows:-

SIMMONDS Agnes Mary of 6 Oaklands Road, Edenfield, Ramsbottom Lancashire widow died 1 July 1930 Administration Manchester 9 August to William Joseph Delasaux Simmonds banker. Effects £193 14s 10d. 

Percy is remembered on the family gravestone in Holcombe Emmanuel Churchyard. He is also commemorated at St Andrews Church in Ramsbottom where his name is inscribed in a stained glass window. 

He is further commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bury Grammar School Roll of Honour

Nat West Bank (Parrs Bank) Bury.

During the refurbishment of the Nat West bank in the centre of Bury, formerly Parr’s Bank, a plaque commemorating Percy Simmonds and another bank clerk, Herbert Howarth, was discovered. The plaque was rededicated by the Mayor of Bury, with photographs of the two soldiers added above the original memorial, in a special ceremony at the bank on 10th February 2016.

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