Lance Corporal Percy Herbert Sellars

Percy was born in Clapham in 1893. His parents were John Joseph Sellars, a time keeper in the building trade, and Catherine (Kathleen/Katherine). They had two other children, John and Edith and at the time of the 1901 census they lived in Clapham with Percy’s grandfather, James Trimlett.

By 1911 the family had moved to 25 Caithness Road, Mitcham and Percy was shown as working in a “Provision Stores”.

He enlisted in September 1914. He was 21 years old, 5ft 5ins tall with dark hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. His chest was 33½ins with an expansion of 2ins – this was in fact ½ an inch under the required 34ins but it listed as “not sufficient to cause rejection” – and he weighed 122lbs. His physical development was shown as “good” and he had a couple of scars, one of which was on his neck as the result of a gland operation.

When he enlisted he had hoped to join the Royal Berkshire Regiment but, according to a letter written by his father, when he arrived for training there was no space for him and he was sent to the East Surrey Regiment where he stayed throughout the war, serving in several different battalions.

Percy’s war was fairly eventful and he was wounded several times. He spent time in hospital from 21 June to 4 August 1916 followed by a period of leave spent at home with his parents and was again hospitalised from 14 June to 24 July 1917.

Percy married Maud Jane Kirkham in the summer of 1917 and they had one son, Herbert John Edward Sellars who never met his father as he was born posthumously. They lived at 25 Fernlea Road, Mitcham.

Percy died on 8 April 1918 and is buried in the Cemetery Etaples Park V. By the time of his death, he was a Lance Corporal. He is commemorated in St Mark’s Church Mitcham.