23 year old Sergeant Percy Kershaw was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (July 1st 1916).
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| Sgt Percy Kershaw, 1/Border Regiment |
Percy was the middle of five children born to John James and Esther Kershaw, born in Middleton in 1893, by 1901 the family had moved to 54 Kilworth Street, Brimrod, John James was employed as a guard on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, 10 years later in 1911, the family had moved over Smithy Bridge to No. 1 Moss Cottages.
John James was still working for the L&Y Railway in 1911, 18 year old Percy was listed as being a groom, he later became an assistant coachman for Doctor MacGill.
Percy enlisted into the Border Regiment, serving with the 1st Battalion, enlisting early on the war, he entered France on October 5th 1914.
Percy was one of over 21,000 British soldiers to lose their lives on July 1st 1916, tens of thousands more were injured.
Percy's body was recovered from the battlefield, he was laid to rest in Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, the cemetery is located within the Newfoundland Memorial park.
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