PEACH, Percy
| Service Numbers: | 4554, 4554A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Gatton, Queensland, Australia, February 1897 |
| Home Town: | Gatton, Lockyer Valley, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Upper Tent Hill State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Dernancourt, France, 3 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gatton Weeping Mother Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4554, 9th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4554, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4554, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Brisbane | |
| 3 Apr 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 4554A, 47th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4554A awm_unit: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-04-03 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Percy was the adopted son of James and Christina Peach of Gatton, Queensland. James had passed away during 1911. It seems, from correspondence in Percy’s service file, that he was actually the grandson of Christina, born out of wedlock to her eldest daughter during 1897. Nevertheless Mrs. Christina Peach had raised the boy as her own and received all of medals and entitlements after she explained her situation.
Christina would lose another son only three weeks later when 7308 Pte. David Peach 9th Battalion AIF was killed in action on 26 April 1918, aged 26.
Percy Peach, six feet tall and a farmer, enlisted with the 15th Battalion at 18 years of age. He was transferred to the 47th Battalion whilst he was in Egypt during early 1916. He was reported as wounded, suffering shell shock at Pozieres from 10 August 1916. He was only out of action for one week.
Percy was promoted to Lance Corporal during June 1917 and was killed in action during the 47th Battalion’s desperate defence of Dernancourt in France from 28 March to 5 April 1917.
Percy was said in his service file to have been buried in the Military Cemetery, Dernancourt Railway line, but his grave was lost after the war.
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