Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Tom Palmer Higgins, a domestic stud groom, born 1859 in Doncaster, Yorkshire and his wife Sarah Amy Higgins (nee Brightwell, married in the 4th quarter of 1899 in the Daventry, Northamptonshire district), born 1868 in Daventry, Northamptonshire. Percy was born in the 1st quarter of 1896 in Exton, Rutland and was baptised on the 8th March 1896 in Exton, his siblings were, John Richard, born 1892 and baptised on the 8th May 1892 in Exton, Nora Amy, born 1894 and baptised on the 11th February 1894 in Exton, Agnes Maude, born 1897 and baptised on the 5th September 1897 in Exton, Thomas Brightwell, born 26th March 1899 and baptised on the 23rd April 1899 in Exton and Madge, born 10th February 1901 and baptised on the 2nd April in Exton, all his siblings were born in Exton, in March 1901 the family home was at Barnsdale Hill, Exton. In April 1911 Percy was absent from the family home at Barnsdale, Exton, residing there was his father a domestic stud groom, his mother and siblings, Agnes, a schoolgirl, Thomas, a schoolboy, Madge, a schoolgirl, Alexandra, born 1902, Robert Mold, born 1903 and baptised on the 27th August 1903 in Exton and Constance, born 11th October 1905 and baptised on the 7th November 1905 in Hambleton, the latter three siblings were all born in Exton, Percy was employed as a domestic groom and was residing at 18, St. Albans Place, St. James, Westminster, Middlesex. Percy also had an older sister, Dorothy, born 1891 in Daventry and a younger brother George E., born 1911 in Exton.
After enlistment into the British Red Cross & St. John’s Ambulance he went out to join the British Army in France in May 1915, volunteering to work on convoys for the French Army, and subsequently attached to “B” Section Sanataire Anglaise, No.16 under Colonel Barry and Captain Marshall. His convoy did special work at Verdun and Duamont, and also at Perthes, Vaux, Bras and Fleury. However the exposure and hardships that he endured caused a growth in his throat, and he was invalided home to England, where he died during an operation at St. Thomas’s Hospital, London, afterwards being brought home to Hambleton where he was buried on the 30th January 1917. Percy had been a general favourite with all the officers and men of the convoy, who sent to his parents a special memorial framed in ebony, signed by them, sixty four in all. Percy was awarded the British War and Victory medals.