Percy Robinson Pratt, Army Veterinary Corps - Cheshire Regt

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy Robinson Pratt ( 1879 - 1951 )

Percy was my first cousin thrice removed.

I found him whilst researching my Mothers family line.

I also found his army notes whilst viewing material provided by "Find my Past"

He survived the wars.

I have started a topic for him so that he can now appear in the digital world.

But mostly as a scratchpad for me to record stuff.

I just hope he was a good fellow !

This is a learning guide for me - So if I put wrong stuff in it please correct me.......

[Martin Feledziak]

Definition of 'Attestation'

The act of witnessing the signing of a document and then also signing it to verify that it was properly signed by those bound by its contents.

BUT FOR PERCY it was Enrolment

From March 1916 all legally eligible men not exempted were deemed to have passed into the army reserve. It was not necessary to attest these men but their basic details had to be entered on the enrolment form B.2513. ( Above )

[Martin Feledziak]

From the long trail .

The extent and quality of information found in a service record varies greatly. Army Form B103, the rather misleadingly-named “Casualty Form Active Service” on which was recorded the man’s movements between units. This example, of which only the top part is displayed, It gives the man’s number, rank, regiment, units, dates, etc.

This image is Percy's chunk

[Martin Feledziak]

First notes :-

[Martin Feledziak]

Trip out.

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy Robinson Pratt left Marseilles on 23 May 1917
and got off his transport
in Salonika on 30th May 1917.
He was a painter - He was also 37 years of age

He was sent to serve in the Veterinary Corps

so he must have been able to handle a horse.
or know how to do something with a horse.

or he could have handled Dogs or Pigeons

[Martin Feledziak]

Now these documents state that Percy was called up on 24th March 1916

but Form 103 states that his service reckons from 20th March 1917.

[Martin Feledziak]

I think he left on 7th July 1917 and

On 10th July Pery Robinson Pratt arrived in Alexandria on board HMT Menominee

[Martin Feledziak]

This is a rather dramatic picture of Menominee - the HMT meaning is His Majesty's Transport Ship

[Martin Feledziak]

from 14th July to 8th September 1917 Percy is in hospital. His notes do not give any reason.

On 29th September he is posted to No 20 Veterinary Hospital.

[Martin Feledziak]

I am not entirely sure what the number notations refer to

I can only see that on 10th February 1918 Percy was given school instruction.

[Martin Feledziak]

This is a puzzle,

on 23 March 1918 Percy gets a "Compulsory" transfer to 1/4th Battalion Cheshire Regiment.

[John_Hartley]

The interesting bit is that he might have had a couple of nice long sea voyages. If he was transferred to 4th Cheshires in March, they were still in Egypt and didnt transfer to France until the end of May.

I suspect he was posted to the Cheshires but was held in France until their arrival. Compulsory transfers such as this, from "back office" units, were commonplace after the losses from the German spring offensive.

[Martin Feledziak]

Wow John,

Great reply, and now it makes good sense and fits nicely. So Percy joined them in Egypt. He had been posted to 20th Veterinary Hospital somewhere in Egypt in 1917, I am still trying to work out what and where that was, but now I see that he joined the Cheshire's in the field.

They left Alexandria on 17th June 1918

So this could be the ship, The Kasir Hind,on which they went to Taranro, Italy - arriving 22 June.

one of her more notable passengers was "Lawrence of Arabia" who left Egypt for home on 15th October 1918

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy was now in France

He was granted home leave to the UK from 24th September to 8th October 1918. However he was taken into hospital in Stockport

with Malaria - I am guessing this is a re occurrence of his first spell in hospital in Egypt in 1917.

just checked with NHS web site :-

Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. If malaria is not diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal.

A single mosquito bite is all it takes for someone to become infected.

Symptoms usually appear between seven and 18 days after becoming infected, but in some cases the symptoms may not appear for up to a year, or occasionally even longer.

Percy rejoined his battalion on 14th October 1918.

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy is in field Hospital on 15th December 1918 and looks like a Hospital in Etaples, France.

Returning to Battalion on 10th January 1919.

I am unable to make out the words on the last line but I imagine it is a return to the UK 22 April 1919.

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy gets his Demobilization 22nd May 1919.

He would have been 40 Years of age.

[Martin Feledziak]

Percy Robinson Pratt - Medal Index Card