SIZER, Percy Kenneth.


844, Private, Percy Kenneth SIZER


1st King Edward's Horse
previously 35 (Middlesex Company), 11th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry
Died of his Wounds on Saturday, 24th March 1917
Aged 37

Percy Kenneth SIZER was born on 1880 in Great Bentley, Essex (Tendring Q3-1890 4A:354), son of Carrington Francis and Susanna SIZER (née CHISNALL).


1881 census...Aged 1, he was at St.Mary's Farm, Great Bentley, Essex with his father Carrington Francis SIZER [53] a farmer; his mother Susanna [30] born Hadleigh; sister Mary Jane [13] and brother Edward Chisnall [2]. All except his mother were born in Great Bentley.

1891 census...Aged 11, he was at the East Anglian School, Bury St. Edmunds. His father, sister Ethel M and brother John E {3] were still at St Mary's Farm. His mother was visiting her stepson George F SIZER and his family at 13 Campbell Road, Bromley

1901 census...Aged 21 he was in South Africa in the Army. His parents were at 19 Carisbrook Road, Walthamstow (father now a coal merchant's clerk) with his brothers Edward C ( draper's assistant) and John E, and sister Ethel M.

1911 census...He has not been identified in this census, but from the entry below he quite possibly was in the Far East. His father died in 1903, his mother had died in 1910.

The book "Getting stuck in for Shanghai" - Robert Bickers notes that Percy Kenneth Sizer was amongst a contingent of 110 men gathered by Captain Alan Hilton- Johnson that sailed from Shanghai aboard the Suwa Maru on October 16th 1914 to join Kitchener's New Army. Apparently many were former soldiers. Percy is recorded as from Japan. Robert Bickers also supplies the information that he thinks Percy may have arrived in Japan in 1909. A list of passengers in the South China Morning Post of 18 Jan 1909 lists Mr. P.K. Sizer, travelling to Kobe, who had just arrived in Hong Kong on the SS Malta from London. Because he worked in Japan he did not find much about him in the Shanghai newspapers. He was however listed on the Roll of Honour that was placed in Shanghai's Holy Trinity Cathedral, and on the Shanghai War Memorial -- this was because he had joined the Suwa Maru contingent.
The South China Herald carried an extract from a letter home from an officer:- "I had a letter from Sgt-Major Coghlan a few days ago; his regiment had been in action, in which Sizer had received wounds from which he has since died. The rest of the Shanghai men were all right".

His elder brother Edward was killed serving in S E Africa in the East Africa Mounted Rifles in 1916. see here


For some reason, although both were added to the school memorial plaque, neither brother is named in the roll of honour booklet.


He first served in the Imperial Yeomanry in the South African war as Shoeing Smith No. 6415. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for Wittenberg, Cape Colony, Transvaal and South Africa 1901

He enlisted in London when resident in Colchester.
The website http://kingedwardshorse.net/history.html has the war diary entry:-
St Quentin 23 to 24 March 1917 - "C" Squadron holding defence posts lost a patrol on 1 NCO and 3 men reconnoitring towards BOIS de HOLNON, wounded and missing. Desultory shelling of ETREILLERS. IV Corps C.M.T. in touch 9th Hussars and 28th French Division on right and Indian Mounted Troops 3rd Corps at CAULAINCOURT on the left. French infantry take ROUPY after slight resistance. AMBAL Cavalry Brigade arrives at ESTREE-en CHAUSEE. "A" Squadron patrol under 2nd Lieutenant LINTON reconnaissance to VILLEVEQUE and have one man killed (844 Private Percy Kenneth Sizer KEH (Japan). BGGS and CRA IV Corps visit posts. Messages from Corps Commander congratulating KEH and IV Corps Cyclists on their work.



Sizer monument at Queen's Road Cemetery, Walthamstow.




photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Percy Sizer is buried in Nesle Communal Cemetery, France grave C:29
also commemorated on the Great Bentley war memorial .

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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