Name
Percy Albert Stock
23 Jan 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/12/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
285172
Seaforth Highlanders
1st/6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
I. G. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
SOME DAY OUR EYES SHALL SEE THE FACES KEPT IN MEMORY
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Town pillar, Great Dunmow, Essex, St Mary Parishioners, Gerat Dunmow, Essex
Pre War
Percy Albert Stock was born in Dunmow, Essex in 1887 to James Walter Stock, and Mary Ann (nee Draine), and was baptised on 15 Jun 1887 at Great Dunmow, Essex.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Florence (born 1883), Percy, and Lena (born 1890) were living at Chelmsford Road, Great Dunmow where his father was a Blacksmith.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Florence, Percy, and Lena were living at Preston Terrace, Great Dunmow. Percy’s mother died in 1906 and his father married Lydia Rand in 1908. By the 1911 Census he was a boarder at the home of Frederick and Matilda Cannon at 17 Dunmow Road, Bishops Stortford, Herts, and working as a shop assistant. His father was living at Church End Great Dunmow with wife Lydia and step children Percy and Evelyn Rand.
Percy married Mary Lizzie Olding on 30 Aug 1914 at Hockerill, Herts. They had a daughter Kathleen Mary who was born on 22 Aug 1915 and they were living at Foxley Lodge, Stansted Road, Bishop's Stortford at the time of Percy's death.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Percy. He initially enlisted in Woodford, Essex into the Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex) Regiment as Private 29860.
At some time Percy transferred to Princess Louise’s Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, initially as Private 6425 as a Territorial Force Soldier. This may have occurred around Jul 1916 (Serial 6495 was issued on 25 Jul 1916) and he became Private 253211 in the renumbering of Territorials in 1917. Later he was posted to 1/6th (Morayshire) Battalion) Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's) as Private 285172.
He went to France to join his battalion in 51 (Highland) Division to take part in the Battle of Cambrai (20 Nov-30 Dec 1917). Initially the division was to take Flesquieres but were not successful but the fighting continued with German counter attacks and confusing situations until the end of Dec 1917. Percy was killed in action on 9 Dec 1917.
Additional Information
His widow received a War Gratuity of £6 10s and arrears of £6 4s. She also received a pension of £1 5 shillings a week from 24 June 1918. She also ordered his headstone inscription, while living at Start Hill House, Great Hallingbury, Bishop's Stortford. It read: "SOME DAY OUR EYES SHALL SEE THE FACES KEPT IN MEMORY".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
