Name
Percy Charles (Aka Williams) Wigfall
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/08/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3398
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
33rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRAY MILITARY CEMETERY
II. J. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin Boys Grammar memorials
Pre War
Percy Charles Wigfall served as Charles Williams. In the records below we refer to him as Percy not Charles.
Percy was born in 1885 in Peterborough, Northamptonshire and christened on 11 February 1885 in St Mark’s Church, Peterborough. His parents were Charles Wigfall and Charlotte Susannah Wigfall.
As a boy he was a resident of Hitchin and attended the Hitchin Grammar School.
In 1891 the family were living at 70 Cromwell Road, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. Present were both parents Charles (41) and Charlotte (37), with Charles working as a railway auditor in this and the following censuses. Their children were: Reginald Horace (8), Percy Charles (6) and Victoria Grace (4). A niece, Florence Mary Waddingham (19) was also present.
By 1901 the family had moved to 4 Benslow Lane, Hitchin. Present were both parents, all of the above children plus Cecil Stuart Wigfall (9).Son
In 1911 the family were living at Normanhurst, Lancaster Rd, (Corner of York Rd), Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents, Victoria and Cecil. Also their niece, Florence Mary Waddingham. The census recorded they had been married for 37 years with 5 children, of whom 1 had died. Percy was absent and has not been found in this census.
There is perhaps a small clue to his later serving under an assumed name and his connection to Hitchin The New South Wales Police Gazette included the following: “Percy Charles Wigfall, 27 years of age, short build, dark complexion, left England for Australia in 1912, last heard of from Bondi during December last; was employed as a steward on some interstate-Steamer. Inquiry at the instance of his father, Charles Wigfall, “Normanhurst”, Lancaster Road, Hitchin, Herts, England.”
A local newspaper reported that Percy had left England on 15 March 1912, when to Sydney in January 1913. And then went to New Zealand, where he worked in several fruit and cattle farms. The latter probably explains his absence from Australia and being thought to be a missing person.
He enlisted on 28 May 1917 joining on 4 June 1917. When he enlisted he was 30 and 6 months old and he was working as a labourer. His father Charles Wigfall was given as his next of kin, living at 15 Lime Tree Avenue, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. He was described as 5’ 2” tall, 112 lbs, with a 35” chest when fully expanded. He had a fresh complexion brown eyes and dark hair. However a lot of these details are contradicted in a medical history record, dated 11 June 1917, which records him as 22 years and 3 months old, 5’ 8”. 140 lbs and a 36” fully expanded chest. Both share the name, alias, service number and dates, yet seem to describe different men. At present we have no explanation for this.
Wartime Service
He joined the Australian Imperial Force with the Number 3398 in the 33rd Battalion. This was a New South Wales contingent and formed part of the 9th Infantry Brigade in the 3rd Australian Division. The Australian on-line War Memorial records a connection to Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
He embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A16 on 16 July 1917 and disembarked in Liverpool on September 16th. After training he proceeded to France from Southampton 5 February 1918 landing the following day and arrived at in Rouelles the same day. He went to the front on the 7th, joined the 33rd Battalion, Australian Infantry of the 12th. He was gassed on the 17 April 1918 and taken to the 55th Field Ambulance on the 18th, then the 47th Casualty Clearing Station on the same day, the 10th General Hospital on the 20th and then transferred to England, leaving France on the 22nd on board the Guildford Castle. He was admitted to the 1st Sthn. Hospital in Birmingham on the 24th.
He changed his records to his true name (Percy Charles Wigfall) by sworn declaration on 15 May 1918. He received furlough between the 15 May and 29 May.
He returned to overseas service in France on 10 July 1918 via Folkestone and was back in Rouelles on the 18th and rejoined his unit in the field on 23 July 1918 and was killed in action on 22 August.
In August 1918 the 3rd Australian Division was part of the Fourth Army and had already taken part in the Battle of Amiens on the 8th August and the subsequent rapid advance towards the old Somme battlefields.
On both the 21st and 22nd August 1918 the nights were clear, and the moon was full. The 3rd Australian Division was on the right of III Corps and held a line from Tailles Wood to the Somme Canal. Its task was to secure the southern flank of III Corps by an advance of about 2000 yards to some high ground immediately to the north of Bray-sur-Somme. Zero hour was 4.45 am. There was no preliminary bombardment, but the German artillery was already active with high explosive and gas shells causing a number of casualties. Casualties occurred throughout the day.
Additional Information
He made out his Will in June 1918 with his real and personal estate to the benefit of his mother and his effects to his friend Mrs Edith Evans, 216 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, N.S.W.
He had two brothers, who had also attended Hitchin Grammar School, in the forces at the time of his death. A third brother, Reginald, was in the Army having gone to India in about 1912.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
