Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Richard Beecroft a game keeper, born 1860 in Castle Bytham, Lincolnshire and his wife Betsy Beecroft (nee Sharpe, married in the 4th quarter of 1883 in the Bourne, Lincolnshire district), born 11th July 1863 in Castle Bytham. Percy was born on the 18th August 1896 in Castle Bytham, his siblings were Sabina, born 23rd April 1890, Maud, born 1892, Mabel, born 1893, Harold, born 8th December 1894, Annie, born 9th September 1898 and Charles, born 28th January 1901, all his siblings were born in Castle Bytham, in March 1901 the family home was at Keepers House, Castle Bytham. In April 1911 Percy was absent from the family home at Tortoiseshell Lodge, Morckary Lane, Castle Bytham, residing there was his father, a keeper and woodman, his mother and siblings, Harold, a farm labourer, Annie, a schoolgirl, Wilfred, a schoolboy, born 16th February 1904 and Charles William, a schoolboy, born 16th January 1907, the latter two siblings were both born in Castle Bytham, Percy was employed as a farm labourer and was residing as a servant at Potters Hill Farm, Castle Bytham. Percy also had the following additional siblings, Dick, born 1st June 1884, John Albert, born 22nd August 1886, Sarah Ann, born 1888, the latter three siblings were all born in Castle Bytham. In 1939 Percy’s widowed mother resided in High Street, Castle Bytham.
Percy first entered the theatre of war in France on the 3rd June 1915, he had also served with the 2nd and 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, as well as with the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (T.F.). He was awarded the 1915 Star, British War and Victory medals.
The last surviving Beecroft in the village, Joyce Beecroft (nee Sharp), but no relation to Betsy, married Percy’s youngest brother Charles who died around 1986. Mrs Beecroft now 93 (in 2006) who now lives in a retirement complex in Castle Bytham remembers the families despair on Percy’s death in action. “I believe his father was so shocked by the tragedy that he died shortly afterwards,” says Mrs Beecroft. Percy’s brothers Harold, Dick and John Albert all survived the conflict.
An article printed in the Rutland and Stamford Mercury on the 2nd June 2006 records “Brave soldier shot by sniper.” It then continues by describing that Percy was a farm worker before enlisting in the 1/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, he embarked for France on the 28th February 1915 arriving in Le Havre, where he joined the 138th Brigade of the 46th Division, and after being wounded by a sniper later that year, recovered and took part in the 3rd Army assault on German trenches in the Battle of the Somme that began on July 1st 1916. Sadly he was killed by a shell on the 15th August 1917.
NOTE: The date of Percy entering the theatre of war conflicts with the only official record relating to his war service, the Medal Award Rolls, these show that he did not enter the theatre of war until the 3rd June 1915, and that he had also served with the 1st and 2nd Battalion’s of The Leicestershire Regiment.
The War Diary records: 15 Aug-17 - NOYELLES. Advance party of 2 N.C.O.’s per Company report to 2nd Lieutenant BARRETT to go forward to reconnoitre dug outs. The Battalion marched off to the trenches at 10.00am in the following order, “D,” “C,” “B,” “A,” Headquarters. On the way up “B” Company had an accident. A shell landed by the side of a party marching up killing 11 and wounding 14. On arrival at trenches accommodation was found in LINE TRENCH, 10th AVENUE, LONE TREE REDOUBT. Most of the men were under cover but they were a bit squashed. Battalion Headquarters was in HULLOCH TUNNEL shared with the 6th Battalion NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGT. Found BROOKE up in the line and he reported that the wire on the front of the raid was not properly cut. He had been up in the line since August 2nd doing patrol work at night and observing wire cutting operations with the Forward Observation Officer, on one occasion he was informed that the enemy were suspected of having left his front line trench, so he crawled out in broad daylight and lay on the enemy’s parapet for about three minutes. Until a Bosche poked his head round the corner of a traverse, saw him and at once disappeared. BROOKE at once made off and just afterwards the place where he had been was peppered with a shower of bombs. He gained our front lines all right. About 3.00pm the Divisional Intelligence Officer and General Staff Officer’s came up and the situation was discussed, the former went up to the line to where the Forward Observation Officer’s were observing and saw things for himself and sent several reports through to Division, all to the effect that the wire was not cut through. In the end everybody agreed that this was so and a message came through about 8.45pm that the raid was postponed. This only just gave time for Officer’s Commanding Companies to be informed before they moved to assembly positions. The Companies settled down to spend the night in their somewhat cramped quarters and rations arrived about 2.00am next morning.