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1465, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces (formerly Lance Corporal 5435 York and Lancaster Regiment)
Percy Summerscales was born on 10th June 1881 at Edge Road, Thornhill, the son of coal miner John Summerscales (1846-1916) and his wife, Mary (nee Ramsden; 1843-1898), who had married at
Thornhill Church on 3rd April 1866. At the time of his birth Percy was the 5th child and second son
born to the couple. All of the children were born in Thornhill. Five years later on 9th January 1886
Percy was baptised at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Thornhill; his younger brother, Law, born
1884, was baptised on the same day at the same church. The family were then living at Thornhill
Edge.
By 1891 the family had moved to Darton and the household was complete with the couple’s sixth child, Law. Percy was 10 years of age in 1891and a tragic decade for the Summerscales household was just ahead. Percy’s grandfather died in 1892, his grandmother in 1894, his mother in 1898 and his sister in 1900. Amidst this in July 1893 an explosion at the local Combs Pit killed 139 miners, almost all of them were Thornhill Edge men and most of them were buried at Thornhill over three days, 6th- 8th July 1893. Percy, aged 12 years, lost many family and friends.
By 1901 Percy, aged 19 years, was living on Chapel Street, Ossett with his widowed father, two siblings and an uncle. Percy and his uncle were stone miners; his father and younger brother worked the local coal mine. Perhaps it was against his better judgement that in 1901 he found himself living only a short walk across the river from Thornhill and mining for a living, albeit at a stone mine.
Events in the late 19th century suggest that he was hoping to be elsewhere. It wasn’t to be.
On 1st July 1899, aged 18 years and 21 days, Percy signed on at Dewsbury for the British Army. He joined the York & Lancaster Regiment for seven years in the colours and five years in reserve. His attestation papers record that he was already serving in the 1st Yorkshire Light Infantry which was
first formed with that title in 1897. Percy was 5’4” tall, weighing 133 lbs, a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair when, on 3rd July 1899,he was tested and confirmed at Pontefract as being fit for service.
In mid December 1899 the 1st York and Lancaster Regiment sailed with the British Army for the colonial Anglo – Boer war (1899-1902) in South Africa which began in October 1899.Percy wasn’t with them. Whether Percy was held in reserve due to his age and limited army service is uncertain
but he wasn’t posted to the 1st Battalion until 9th January 1900. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 19th September 1900 and at Fermoy, County Cork he was discharged on the grounds of being medically unfit for service, subsequently confirmed on 10th April 1901. His conduct and character
was recorded as Very Good.
Whilst he was discharged from the army in April 1901 by that time the Census (taken in March 1901) reveals that he was already living at his father’s home on Chapel Street and working as a stone miner. The Army concluded that he was not physically fit for war service; his British Army career
lasted only one year and 284 days and not the 12 years for which he contracted.
In early 1902 Percy Summerscales married Ossett born Emma Jackson who before her marriage was living with her parents, four sisters and a brother on Park Square, Ossett. By 1905 the couple had made their marital home on Station Road, Ossett whilst in the same year Percy’s widowed father, John Summerscales, still lived at Chapel Street. Sadly, after three years of marriage, Emma died in summer 1905, aged 27 years.
On 7th April 1906 at Christ Church, South Ossett the widowed Percy of Station Road, Ossett married Cleckheaton born spinster Frances Metcalf of Park Square. In 1901 Frances was living on Junction Lane, Ossett with her widowed mother and two siblings younger than Frances. Sadly in late 1909 Percy lost his second wife when 22 years old Frances died, after three years of marriage. By 1910 Percy had moved to live at South Parade, Ossett.
By 1911 Percy Summerscales, twice a widow, had moved again and was living at 62, Vito Buildings, Manor Road, Ossett, the home of his married sister Florence and her husband, John Smith, a coal miner. The couple had four surviving children of seven born to their 18 years marriage. Percy was also a coal miner.
Perhaps it was all too much for Percy who might have felt justified in thinking that fate was against him. Perhaps Australia was different. On 10th September 1911 Percy left London and sailed aboard SS Pakeha, a steamship built in 1890 for the Shaw Savill & Albion line bound for New Zealand, first
stopping at Cape Town. Percy arrived, unassisted, in Australia on 31st October 1911. This was to be Percy’s destination; the ship’s log described Percy as single and a farmer.
Three years later on 11th August 1914 just seven days after his home country declared war on the German Empire Percy enlisted for six months in the Australian Expeditionary Force. When Britain declared war on Tuesday the 4th August, 1914, celebrations were held throughout the country. Most people believed it would be a quick and simple affair that would be over by Christmas.
Patriotism was high, and large numbers of men rushed to join the forces to answer the call to arms. The government wanted 100,000 volunteers and began a large recruitment campaign which
bombarded the public with posters. This was so successful that within a month 750,000 people had volunteered.
On 19th August 1914 Private 890 Percy Summerscales was 33 years of age, 5’5”, 11st 7lbs, with fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, single and a miner. He left Sydney with the Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (Tropical Unit) “H” Company aboard His Majesty’s Australian Ship, Berrima (A35). The ship left the Port of Sydney and sailed the 75 nautical miles to the Port of Newcastle, New South Wales where his unit entrained to the nearby suburb of Dudley, a mining town.
His Australian Imperial Force Embarkation Roll records Percy’s next of kin as his father, John Summerscales, South Parade, Ossett, Yorkshire, England.
HMAS Berrima had a long journey ahead and she was still carrying men of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. This consisted of a battalion of 1,000 infantry and a small battalion of 500 Royal Australian Naval Reservists and timeexpired Royal Navy personnel, for operations against the German New Guinea colonies. In 1914 Australia responded quickly to remove the German threat from the Pacific.
Above HMAS Berrima 18th August 1914 the day before Percy was aboard. A mixed military force, called the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, was raised and sent to seize German New Guinea. Units of the Royal Australian Navy escorted the force. Much of Percy’s six months with the Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (Tropical Unit) was spent at Raboul, a township in East New Britain province of Papua New Guinea which was captured by the British Empire during the early days of World War I. Percy’s six months were time expired and ended on 18th January 1915; for his 161 days service he was later awarded the 1914-15 Star medal posthumously which was sent to the authorities in London.
On 13th February 1915 at Pinkenba, Brisbane, Queensland Private 1465 Percy Summerscales enlisted with the 3rd battalion Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalion were infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. It was recruited from New South Wales.
All four battalions formed the 1st Brigade and were raised within a fortnight of the declaration of war in August 1914. The Brigade embarked two months later and after a short stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December 1914. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Percy in Egypt suggesting that he joined the Brigade there shortly after his enlistment in mid February 1915. After Egypt came Gallipoli.
The eight months campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea.The Allies
landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the
Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac.
The battalion took part in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landing on 25 April 1915 as part of the second and third waves. It is likely that Percy would have been recalled from Egypt with the 1st Brigade by that time. At ANZAC, the 4th battalion took part in the defence of the beachhead and on 6th August 1915 along with the rest of the 1st Brigade led the charge at the “battle of Lone Pine” at Gallipoli. It was here between 9th & 12th August 1915 that Private Percy
Summerscales of the 3rd battalion was killed in action.
“Lone Pine” was to be a diversion for the ANZAC units to capture enemy high ground. At 5.30 pm on 6 August 1915, the Australian artillery barrage lifted and from concealed trenches in no man’s land the 1st Australian Brigade charged towards the Turkish trenches finding that many were covered by timber roofs. Some fired, bombed and bayoneted from above whilst others advanced to where the Turks counter-attacked. By nightfall, most of the enemy front line was captured, outposts established and the Australians were holding ground. Between 6th & 9th August a fierce battle ensued underground in the complex maze of Turkish tunnels. Six Australian battalions suffered nearly 2,300 killed and wounded at Lone Pine. Seven Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest number ever awarded to an Australian division for one action.
Private 2465 Percy Summerscales, A. Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces, was killed in action on or about 7th August 1915 in the Battle of the Lone Pine at Gallipoli, Turkey. He was 34 years of age and is buried at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery I.D.9. (below)
The route up Shrapnel Valley was an essential road from the beach to the Anzac front and it took its name from the heavy shelling it was given by the Turks on 26 April 1915. Wells were sunk there and water obtained in small quantities, and there were camps and depots on the south side of its lower reaches. Gun positions were made near its mouth. The cemetery was made mainly during the occupation, but some isolated graves were brought in from the valley after the Armistice. There are now 683 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery.
Percy is remembered at the Australian War Memorial on the Roll of Honour and the First World War Nominal Roll. Percy will also be remembered by his name at The Ossett War Memorial alongside his brothers and sisters at arms. We know them as The Ossett Fallen.
References: Research by The Ossett Fallen Team 2023. This biography by Alan Howe
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/622631/percy-summerscales/
