No.14026, Private, Percy PLUME
Aged 20
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Percy PLUME was born in Cheveley (Newmarket Q2-1895 3B:521) , son of Harry and Clara PLUME (née COBBOLD).
1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Main Street, Cheveley with his father Harry PLUME [39] a domestic coachman, born in Welnetham; his mother Clara [40] born in Rougham, sisters Christiana [16], Bertha [14], Daisy [10], Lily [8], Dorothy [3] and Florence [1], and brother Ernest [13]. All the children were born in Cheveley. 1911 census...Aged 16, a carpenter, he was at The Street, Cheveley, with his parents, sister Dorothy and brothers Horace [9] and Alfred [5], both brothers were born in Cheveley. One child had died. His parents apparently moved to Woodditton as that was their address in CWGC records and presumably the reason for his name on the Woodditton memorial rather than in Cheveley. The pension card records his parents at The Marquis of Granby, Woodditton, his father dying at unknown date. The Marquis of Granby was the pub that used to be along the road between Saxon Street and Woodditton. Closed in the 1970's it was not much more than the front room of a cottage, like many small village pubs |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. The 8th Suffolks had been engaged in an attack at Delville Wood on 18/19 July. It was their first experience of open warfare. Advancing across open countryside in broad daylight against well placed German machine guns brought about heavy casualties,but eventually the line in the village was advanced 300 yards and the bottle neck entrance to Delvllle Wood widened. The position was then consolidated and on the morning of the 21st they were relieved. The 19th July saw 19 killed, and on the 20th a further 9 died, one of them, Thomas Williamson, also named on the Woodditton memorial. Percy was initially buried in QUARRY SCOTTISH CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN (see below) but the 55 graves here were concentrated in 1919 to Quarry Cemetery |
photo; Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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