Private Percy Sampson Cornish
9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: 1896
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 7 October 1916 aged 19
Buried: Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon
Awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Private Percy (Perp) Sampson Cornish age 19.
Percy was born at West Teignmouth in 1896, his parents were Robert and Emma Cornish and his father worked as a traveller for a London tea firm.
The 1901 census showed him with his at 2 Grosvenor Terrace, Teignmouth.
He attended the Wesleyan Methodist School in Teignmouth and at the age of 12 he won a County Council Scholarship to study at United Methodist College, Shebbear for the next 6 years.
His home was listed 2 Grosvenor Terrace, where his parents continued to live.
In 1911 census he was shown as a boarder at the Methodist School, Shebbear.
He became a junior master at a school in Herne Bay, Kent.
Royal Fusiliers
(City of London) Regiment
Cap Badge
At the outbreak of war he joined the Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, service no. 10784.
He was later posted to 9th Battalion and was serving with them when he was reported as missing.
Newspaper clipping. Western Morning Times, Friday November 21st, 1916.
A notice appeared in the Teignmouth Post in November to this effect.
Reports by an officer show that only two men from the platoon (a platoon consists of about 50 men) returned from the attack on the German trenches.
Percy was later confirmed as killed in action on 7 October 1916.
Western Times newspaper clipping. January 12, 1917
Western Times newspaper clipping December 29, 1916
He was reburied at Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy.
Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth.
The 9th Royal Fusiliers at the Battle of Transloy
Part of the Battle of the Somme.
At the start of October 1916 Percy's battalion were in front line trenches west of Gueudecourt.
On the 7th October along with others of the 12th, 20th and 56th Divisions they began an attack on the German positions.
In preparation the artillery had bombarded the German trenches, to damage the enemy defences and drive the Germans defending them to take cover.
Two German brothers in the war: one with his machine-gun team. The other brother went missing 7th October 1916. Die Brüder Paul und Walter Klügel
The distance to the German trenches had been misjudged, the trenches were much closer than thought.
The bombardment had missed them.
Additionally the relief companies of the German troops had just arrived.
As a result, the first line of Royal Fusiliers were met by unexpectedly heavy rifle and machine gun fire.
It was followed by very heavy shell fire.
The German Army: Mud on the Somme battlefield near Le Transloy. © IWM (Q 42233)
None of the companies reached their objective, their troops were decimated.
Only two men from Percy's platoon (a platoon consists of about 50 men) returned from the attack on the German trenches.
“Will you please thank all ranks of your Battalion for the magnificent gallantry they displayed yesterday.
They advanced steadily under a very heavy fire which only the very best troops could have faced.
Although unfortunately unsuccessful your gallant conduct has added to the fine reputation which you have already won yourselves.”
This was sent to the 9th Battalion's commanding officer
by the General Officer Commanding 36th Brigade
149 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers died on 7th October 1917. Of those, 119 have no known grave.
In the First World War six million men went missing and were never found, their bodies were lost in the mud.
That was the day that Percy (Perp) Sampson Cornish of Teignmouth died aged 19.
