Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Percival's family were wrongly advised that he had been killed in action in September 1915.

LANCE-CORPORAL PERCIVAL
JAMES SAYER.
The sad news was conveyed by telegram to the Rev. Canon Pereival last evening that Lance-Corporal Percival James Sayor had been killed in action at the Dardanelles. Lance-Corporal Sayer of the 14th Battalion, had been wounded three times previously, and it was with much sorrow that his relatives received news from the Rev. Canon Percival of his death. He was 33 years of age, with a wife and  four children, and prior to enlistment was a partner with his brother in the well-known firm of undertakers of Bridge street. He was also connected with the old militia and played a clarionet in the old 5th Battalion Band. He was a brother of Mrs. A.R. Plumbe and Mr. A. E. Sayer, chemist.

PRIVATE P. J. SAYER.
The sad intelligence was received by Mrs. P. J. Sayer, of Bridge-street, on Friday that her husband, Private Percival James Sayer, had been killed in action at Gallipoli on 8th August. The late Private  Sayer was the youngest son of thle late Mlr Thomas Sayer, undertaker, of Bridge-street, and brother of Messrs. Thomas Sayer, undertaker, and Arthur E. Sayer, chemist, of this city. He was about 35  years of age. Private Sayer was a native of Bendigo, and was educated at the Central School. For many years he assisted his father in the conduct of the undertaking business, and after the latter's death carried on the business in partnership with his brothers, Messrs. Thomas and Arthur Sayer. The latter relinquished his interest in the business to his brothers about two years after Mr. Sayer  Senr.'s death, and Mesrsrs. T. and P. J. Sayer then carried it on until some three years ago, when Private Sayer dis posed of his interest to Mr. Thos. Sayer. The fallen soldier was a splendid musician, and for yeats was a prominent member of the now defunct Northcott's Band. Later he was associated with other Beadigo bands, and his services, which were in keen demand, were freely given in all  charitable efforts. Private Sayer leaves a widow and four children, for whom much sympathy is felt. He was twice wounded at Gallipoli, but recovered and returned to the firing line, where he was killed during the severe fighting at the beginning of last month.

IN LONDON HOSPITAL.
Early in September the Defence Department, notified Mrs. P. J. Sayer, of Bridge Street, that her husband had been killed in action. A few days later she, however, received letters which had been  written by him subsequent to the date of his reported demise, stating that he had been wounded and was in hospital at Lemnos. The Defence Department was informed of the circumstances, and last  week Mrs. Sayer received the official announce ment that he was not killed but wounded. Mrs. Sayer last week also received the following letters from her husband: —
Writing from Gibraltar on ber 10, Lance-Corporal Sayer said:
— "You will no doubt get a surprise receiving a letter from here. I am on a hospital ship on the way to England to a convalescent home. I am getting on as well as can be expected, but it will be some  to me before I am well. I was blown down a parapet about 20ft by a shell exploding along side me. The concussion threw me over the cliff. I had no bones broken but was badly injured internally. I  have had rheumatics as well, and I am just about run down. This is the fifth time now I have been hurt — three wounds and two shell concussions. I have been in and seen some hard fighting, and,  thank God, I have got through this far with no thing to disable me.

On September 18 he. wrote from the Military Hospital, Endell Street,
London— You will see that I am now in London. I never thought of getting here. We left the hospital at Lemnos on August 30, and had a grand trip over. We called at Malta and Gibraltar, and the sights  were splendid. We arrived at Plymouth on September 16, and were taken by ambulance train to London. The scenery along the line was beautiful. The green fields, sheep, cattle and old fashioned  English homes in the meadows were just lovely to us after the hard, rough time on the peninsula. Everywhere along the line we were cheered by the people, who gave us fruit, cigarettes, papers, everything you could wish for. As we left the harbor the sailors on the warships got on the masts and all over the boats and cheered themselves hoarse. When we got to Paddington station there were  motor cars in dozens to meet us. The people cannot do enough for us. They come with their cars to the hospital and take us out to their homes, mansions and parks and treat us to the best. They also  take us to theatres and goodness knows what. All the doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital are ladies, and they are very clever. There are about 500 patients here, sick and wounded, and we get  every attention.