PEPPER, Percy
| Service Number: | 5677 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 August 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Australian Employment Company |
| Born: | Ramahyuk, Victoria, Australia, January 1878 |
| Home Town: | Lakes Entrance, East Gippsland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cook |
| Memorials: | Lakes Entrance and District HR |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Aug 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5677, 21st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5677, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 5677, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne | |
| 12 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Australian Employment Company | |
| 14 Aug 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 5677, Australian Employment Company, 3rd MD, Family reasons |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Darren Chester MP
As part of #NAIDOCWeek, here is the story of one of my electorate’s Indigenous veterans. Gippsland’s very own Private Percy Pepper.
Percy grew up in Gippsland, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 1 August 1916 at age 38, where he joined the 15th Reinforcements, 21st Infantry Battalion. His enlistment made him one of only 42 known Indigenous Australians from Victoria to serve in the First World War.
The 21st Infantry Battalion was stationed in France and Belgium and fought in many of the major battles on the Western Front. Percy joined the battalion in France on 26 January 1917 and served with it continuously until a furlough taken on 2 December 1917. During that time the battalion fought at Bullecourt during May, and then in October participated in the 3-kilometre advance that captured Broodseinde Ridge.
Percy said he was hit in the head by a piece of shrapnel during the fighting in October 1917. In May 1918 he applied for discharge, asking to return home to Australia to care for his sick wife and their seven children.
Today I say to Percy, and all other Indigenous service men and women, thank you for your service.
Click images to start slideshow.