high wood Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 I bought this flask this morning for £1 thinking that it might be Great War vintage. I am pleased to discover that it belonged to 556 Pte Percy W Simms of the Coldstream Guards. The aluminium flask is about the size of a hip flask and has P.W. Simms engraved above a Coldstream Guards badge and their motto Nulli Secundus. Beneath that the names France and Belgium are engraved. Can anyone tell me anything about Percy W Simms please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 MIC - Nothing on the back. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 Ancestry has 15 pages of Pension records - Name: Percy William Simms Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878 Age at Enlistment: 18 Birth Parish: Hook In Norton Birth County: Oxford [Norton] Document Year: 1896 Regimental Number: 556 Number of Images: 15 John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 HW No service record on Ancestry UK but probably will be one at Wellington Barracks. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 Enlisted 1896 and served in SA as well as WW1. PM me your email address and I'll download the docs and send them on if you want. Won't be today though as there is a pint waiting for me now at the local John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 Says on someone's family tree that he died in 1961 (good innings, if so). I can't see if there's any other info, as I haven't got Ancestry. http://www.ancestry.com/community/research...cnty=&rcty= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 November , 2009 Share Posted 7 November , 2009 Here he is on 1881 census; Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability Henry SIMMS Head M Male 36 Barton, Warwick, England Farmer Of 100 Acres Emma SIMMS Wife M Female 34 Hook Norton, Oxford, England Farmers Wife Mary E. SIMMS Daur Female 11 Cherington, Warwick, England Scholar Henry R. SIMMS Son Male 9 Campden, Gloucester, England Scholar Annie W. SIMMS Daur Female 4 Campden, Gloucester, England Scholar Percy W. SIMMS Son Male 2 Hook Norton, Oxford, England ((Scholar)) Rose HARRISON Ser U Female 21 Newbold, Worcester, England Dom Ser George PITTAWAY Ser U Male 18 Swerford, Oxford, England Farm Ser (Indoor) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source Information: Census Place Long Compton, Warwick, England Family History Library Film 1341367 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 1520 / 124 Page Number 2 Two servants. Very nice too. IPT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 7 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2009 Ipt, many thanks. Interesting to see that he is a scholar, aged 2. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 8 November , 2009 Share Posted 8 November , 2009 Boer War Queens South Africa medal bars Joburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, Cape Colony and Orange Free State Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 8 November , 2009 Share Posted 8 November , 2009 LSGC medal recommended on 1st July 1916 of all days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 8 November , 2009 Share Posted 8 November , 2009 in 1937 was living at 6 Vicarge Lane Clewer Windsor (taken from roll of those who advised RHQ that still alive in 1937!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 8 November , 2009 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2009 Thanks to John for the papers and Coldstreamer for the added information. Percy William Simms married in the parish church at Holmwood, Surrey, very near to Dorking. He went out to France on 12th August 1914 with the 2nd battalion so he was probably at Landrecies and Villers-Cotterets in August - September. He was back in England by 10th March 1915 and did not return to France until 18th October 1916 therefore he wasn't at the Battle of Loos or available for most of the Battle of the Somme, which probably accounts for his survival. It seems that in later life he was a warder at Windsor Castle. I am proud to be the custodian of his hip flask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 8 November , 2009 Share Posted 8 November , 2009 HW, Great find for £1!! A treasure!! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 9 November , 2009 Share Posted 9 November , 2009 may be entitled to coronation / jubilee medals as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATNOMIS Posted 17 June , 2011 Share Posted 17 June , 2011 He is my grandfather and I am researching my ancestors as I am writing a book on them. I have now got to my grandparents - he married Florence Spencer at Holmwood in 21 JUne 1910. They had 556 children and my father Eric was the middle one My name is Jane Simms. Would you be willing to sell me this flask. We have a lovely portrait of my grandfather in his uniform. I will try and take of photo of it and download it. I was only 10 when he died so I don't remember too much about him - he died in 1961. Gosh I did find this website difficult. Please can anyone email me on jaynesimms AT btinternet.com as I would love to know more about my grandfather. Many thanks Jane. The Pals will help you in the forum. Take your time, you need to post/reply to 5 or more times to get personal messages etc. Scan your picture and use http://photobucket.com/ or some other site to put your picture up. We all started at the begining lol. Hope this helps? Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john gregory Posted 18 June , 2011 Share Posted 18 June , 2011 He is my grandfather and I am researching my ancestors as I am writing a book on them. I have now got to my grandparents - he married Florence Spencer at Holmwood in 21 JUne 1910. They had 556 children and my father Eric was the middle one My name is Jane Simms. Would you be willing to sell me this flask. We have a lovely portrait of my grandfather in his uniform. I will try and take of photo of it and download it. I was only 10 when he died so I don't remember too much about him - he died in 1961. Gosh I did find this website difficult. Please can anyone email me on jaynesimms AT btinternet.com as I would love to know more about my grandfather. Many thanks They certainly had a lot of children, 556 !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 18 June , 2011 Share Posted 18 June , 2011 Another good and simple to use image hosting site is http://www.postimage.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 20 December , 2018 Share Posted 20 December , 2018 I am not sure whether you remember me but I am the grandaughter of Percy William Simms and I was wondering if you could do me a favour? If you still have Percy's flask would you be so kind as to take a photo of the front or back where his name is displayed for me? My grandson is doing a project on a soldier of WWI and I thought it would be nice if he could include a picture of the flask. Sadly we have no medals or anything except a few photos of his 23 years service in the Coldstream Guards - someone along the family line thought they weren't worth keeping - poor old boy. I know this is a longshot request but I thought it well worth a post and would be ever so appreciative. If you do ready this can you email me on jayne simms @btinternet.com many thanks Jayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 20 December , 2018 Share Posted 20 December , 2018 Jayne - I suggest that you send a personal message to Highwood. That will generate an email to him. Just hover your cursor over his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 22 December , 2018 Share Posted 22 December , 2018 I'll check to see if I've seen them for sale in my records Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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