Benjamin Road VAD Hospital (picture from SWOP website)
Percy Edward Howard's grave in High Wycombe Cemetery
Percy Edward Howard 1871 - 1918
My name is Percy Edward Howard and I was born in 1871 in Aldershot, Hampshire. My parents were Edward & Elizabeth nee Armstrong. We lived at 24, Union Street, Aldershot and my father was a grocer employing 5 men and 2 boys. We had a good life and my parents were able to employ servants.
I had an older brother, William, two younger brothers Arthur, John, and Ernest, and two younger sisters, Margaret and Florence.
By 1901 the family had moved to Bexhill in Sussex and I had become a dentist. My father had also gone up in the world and was now a wine agent. William, Arthur and John had left home but Margaret, Florence and Ernest were still at home.
By 1911 I had finally left home and was boarding at 24, Weston Road, Bexhill and was still working as a dentist. It was a good career but then the war broke out.
I signed up as a Tommy in the Sportsman’s Battalion in 1914, otherwise known as the 24th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. I had wanted to go the Front, but was not allowed to go due to my age and qualifications. However, I later volunteered to go to France as a Dental Surgeon just after I had been made Captain.
As a Dental Surgeon in the Royal Medical Corps I moved around quite a bit. My service records shows that I was moved from the 24th Battalion to the 30th on 28th July 1915, then to the 6th Battalion on the 16th March 1916, the “Buffs” on the 5th September 1916 and finally to the 2/6th Scottish Rifles on the 1st August 1917.
I had only been living in High Wycombe for about a year when I died. My parents were still living in Bexhill, at “Brockenhurst” Wilton Road. Like many soldiers of the time I became ill with influenza. Despite this I was keen to carry on with my duties but I finally succumbed and I died of of heart failure on 21st October 1918.
My funeral was held in High Wycombe with full military honours. The whole Brigade turned out with troops lining the streets. Three pairs of horses drew the gun carriage and three officers who were my close friends were allowed to ride the horses. Another two officers sat on the front seat of the gun carriage. Volleys were fired and the Last Post played. It was certainly a funeral to remember.
Researched by Ruth Bowler, Flackwell Local Area History Group
