FLEMING, Percy


No.G/21157, Private, Percy FLEMING
Aged 27


3rd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
formerly No. 26630, Middlesex Regiment
Died in Captivity on Monday, 27th August 1917


Percy Fleming was born in Six Mile Bottom on 17th August 1890 (Chesterton Q4-1890 3B:411), son of Robert and Jessie Burrows FLEMING (née HIGH).

1891 census... Aged 7 months, he was at Main Road, Little Wilbraham with his father Robert FLEMING [26] domestic gardener, born Badingham, Suffolk; his mother Jessie B [31] born Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, and brother Bertram J [2] born Chippenham, Cambs.

1901 census...Aged 10, he was at Board School, Barway (where his mother was Head Mistress), with his father Robert (gardener); his mother Jessie Burrows; brothers Bertram James and Cyril [2] born Soham; sister Sylvia Jessie Burrows [8] born Soham.

1911 census...Aged 20, horse man on farm, he was still at the School House, Barway with his parents; brother Cyril and sisters Sylvia and Evelyn Maud [8] born Barway. His last employer was Mr Lister in Barway.

The pension card for the brothers has the family home still at School House, Barway

His younger brother Cyril was killed in action in France in 1918. see here






He enlisted in Newmarket.

Captured ( unwounded) at Miraumont/Grandcourt area of France (WSW of Bapuame) on 18th November 1916. That day "C" and "D" Companies, the 7th Queens attacked DESIRE TRENCH at 6:10 am. They had 89 killed.
Percy's progress from capture would appear to be to Wahn, near Cologne, then on to Dulmen, then Minden and finally to Parchim. east of Hamburg. Parchim was known at times the "Death Camp" due to it's higher than average death rate and yet Parchim together with Wahn and Dulmen were on a list of better camps. He died in the camp hospital at Parchim, Mechlenburg due to illness.



photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Percy Fleming is buried in Hamburg Cemetery, Germany, grave 2:C:4
Any prospective visitor should be aware that this is one of the biggest non military cemeteries in the world.
The British military plots are 3 km. from the main entrance

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

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