Private Percy Joseph Cartwright - Lest We Forget

3rd September 1896 - 24th May 1915

Percy Joseph Cartwright was born on Foxholes Lane in Methley, to George and Clara Sarah Cartwright (neé Birkett), which is near Altofts in West Yorkshire. It was an average village, and I'm not quite sure why they had moved from Eakring in Nottinghamshire to Methley, it could have been George's gardening profession.

He was the youngest of 3 siblings:

• Albert Birkett
• Arthur George
• Clara Kate

In 1901, the Cartwrights had moved from Methley down to Cantley in Doncaster, where George was a "Groom domestic" - possibly out of a job or he could have been looking after his children. By now Arthur had also moved out.

Skip to 1911, where Percy's mother Clara had sadly passed away - and he is now an "errand boy" for a grocers somewhere in Hyde Park. This is where the Cartwrights would ultimately settle at, 41 Somerset Road.


When Lord Kitchener called men to arms in 1914, Percy was one of them to sign up to fight. He joined up for the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 1/5 Batallion sometime in late 1914. According to the 1/5 Batallion war diaries for April and May, it wasn't until early 1915 where they had moved from training in York to the frontlines at Bois-Grenier. There was a lot of blood shed in the name of king and country, and unfortunately - Percy's blood was spilt. On the 24th of May 1915, possibly between 8pm and 11pm, Percy was struck by a fired artillery shell and was killed. 11 others would die at the hands of these shells the next morning. George received a pension, and my great-grandad Percy was named after him.