45662 Percy Brandreth

45662 Percy Brandreth born in 1895 in Thurlwood, Rode Heath. Occupation a cowman, he was single and lived with his parents. He was the fourth eldest child to Peter and Annie Brandreth.

Percy enlisted on 22^nd February in Sandbach. Part of his Military Service Records is as follows:

Home 22/06/1916 – 05/01/1917 (Home means in Britain). On the 06/01/1917 he sailed from Southampton arriving in Le Havre, France on the 07/01/1917, from Le Havre he went to Rouen arriving on the 09/01/1917. He joined the 15^th Cheshire Regiment on the 17/01/1917 in the field, he was in the field until 25/01/1917, then went on leave, rejoining his unit on 28/01/1917, he was still with his unit in the field until the 23/11/1917 when he developed a septic toe.

On the 24/11/1917 Percy was sent to the field hospital, then on the 19/12/1917 he was sent to Boulogne to sail back to Britain, he sailed on 22/12/1917.

Once back in Britain he was admitted to Ilford Emergency Hospital on the 23/12/1917 and was discharged on the 05/02/1918, he would remain in the Britain until the 19/04/1918 rejoining his regiment in France on the 21/04/1918.

During time in Britain, Percy was put on a charge, his Disciplinary Record said:

On 30/03/1918 “ When under orders for over seas, absent from 6:30pm until apprehended by the M.F.P (Military Field Police) in Y.M.C.A. Liverpool about 1:30am 45662 was in possession of a fraudulent pass, missing a draft.”

Punishment awarded 28 days F.P, the punishment finished 5 days before he left for France.

In Percy’s Military Records, there is a letter to the Shrewsbury Records Office dated 03/07/1918 asking for information as to Percy’s where a bouts, the letter reads:

Dear Sirs,

 I should be glad if you could kindly let me have any information with regard to Pte, Percy Brandreth (45662) 11^th Batt Cheshire Regiment No 1 Platoon. A. Coy B.E.F France.

We have not had any news of him for many weeks and would be glad of any information you can give.

Yours truly

M. C. Llewelyn   

Percy was killed on the 21^st August 1918 in Belgium.