Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1892 in the Swansea R.D. - ref: 11a/911,
the eldest son of Martin James and Elizabeth Ann Pickwick (nee Edwards).

1901 Census - 645 Liverpool Road, Irlam.   Son - aged: 8 - born:  Scormen,
Glamorganshire.   Head of household - Martin J. Pickwick - Married - aged:
37 - occ: Traffic Superintendent Manchester Ship Canal - born: Fernpid,
Carmarthenshire.   Also - Elizabeth A Pickwick - Wife - aged: 33 - born:
Scormen, Glamorganshire.  Plus - 4 younger siblings and a cousin.

1911 Census - 645 Liverpool Road, Irlam, Manchester.    Son - aged: 18 -
occ: Clerk - born: Glamorganshire Swansea.    Head of household - Martin J.
Pickwick - Married - aged: 47 - occ: Coal Shipping Superintendent - born:
Ferryside, Carmarthenshire.   Also - Elizabeth Ann Pickwick - Wife - aged:
43 - born: Swansea, Glamorganshire.  Plus - 8 younger siblings, his
maternal grandmother and a cousin.

Buried in the Menin Road North Cemetery, but this cemetery was destroyed in
later battles, so his memorial headstone is now at the Menin Road South
Cemetery.

M.I. - "Thy will be done".

The 7th (Service) Battalion, The Border Regiment, served in the 51st
Infantry Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division.   

I am most grateful to Neil Drum & Pete Thomas for allowing me to use
verbatim the following extract from their superb 623 page book "A District
at War - Irlam & Cadishead's Part in the Great War", an incredibly detailed
and comprehensive book that is not only a credit to them, but a magnificent
memorial to the WW1 men of that district.

Prior to the war, the family moved to Lymehurst, Flixton Road, Urmston.  
All Percy's siblings were born in Irlam: Bertram (c. 1895), Cyril W.
(c.1897), Leslie Martin (b.1898) and Erie J. (b.1901). Prior to the war,
Percy resided in Urmston and was travelling daily across the canal to work
at the CWS Soap Works.   He enlisted into the Border Regiment at Manchester
on 14th November 1914 and his service record described him as 22 years old,
5 foot 6 inches tall and weighing 116lb.

He was immediately posted to the Regimental Depot at Carlisle and, on 21st
November, he was posted to the 7th Battalion stationed at Lulworth, Dorset.
  He spent several months at Lulworth before embarking for Boulogne, France
on 14th July 1915 to serve with the British Expeditionary Force.   On 22nd
September, while serving on the Western Front, he was reported for
'disobedience of battalion order' and was punished with 28 days of Field
Punishment No 1.

The exact locations of soldiers' graves within this cemetery could not be
found, at the time graves were being concentrated after the war and had
probably been destroyed by shell-fire. Percy is therefore commemorated in
the Menin Road South Cemetery on a special memorial headstone which
contains the following inscription: 'Thy will be done'.   He is also
commemorated on three local war memorials: Irlam and Cadishead, St
Clement's Church, Urmston and St Michael's Church, Flixton.   One of his
brothers, Leslie Martin Pickwick, served as a Second Lieutenant, in the
Royal Air Force.