Percy Gernon Boyd died of wounds on this day in 1915

Percy Gernon Boyd was born in Egremont, Wallasey on 1 September 1890.

His parents were Samuel Boyd (a book keeper for a shopping company in 1891, later an accountant) and Emma Boyd (née Ker). In 1891, at 8 months old, he was at home with his parents, two older sisters Lillian and Mildred and a live-in domestic servant. In 1911, his sisters were working as stenographers and Percy was a sugar refiner’s clerk. His younger brother Gerald was at school. They lived at 19 Hale Road, Liscard, Cheshire, an eight-roomed property.

Educated at Liscard High School, Percy had been a keen footballer being a member of the Liscard Old Boys’, Brompton and other clubs. He had won the mile handicap at his school annual sports.

In 1914, Percy was a clerk at Henry Yate & Sons, still living at home.

He joined the Army on the outbreak of war in August 1914, a month before his 24th birthday. He was 5ft 10in on attestation (his medical on his Short Service Attestation Record is dated 5th August). He joined A Coy 10th Bn The King's (Liverpool Regiment).

After a short period of training, he arrived in France 1 November 1914.

Percy died from shell wounds to his back received in action at Locre, Flanders 11 January 1915. He had been out the night before putting barbed wire in front of the trenches. He died in hospital, No.7 Field Ambulance, Locre and is now buried in Locre Churchyard.

After his death, his father wrote the the regiment from his work address asking for his son’s personal effects to be sent there rather than to their home address to avoid ‘upsetting Mrs Boyd’. On 30 September 1915, he received: Army Form B-103, an Identity disc, a pair of eyeglasses, a purse and a letter.

3158 Pte Percy Gernon Boyd, 10th Bn The King's (Liverpool Regiment)