The Enlistment of Pte Percy Dogget. 13622 Bedfordshire Regiment

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In my collection I have the diary of this man.

He gives a great insight into the enlistment and early training days during 1914-15

Diary of 13622 Private Percy Doggett

3rd and 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment

Killed in Action, 26th April 1918 with 1st Battalion

When the European War broke out I was working for the International Stores at Hemel Hempstead. Two of the assistants there were old soldiers so both at once talked about joining and I wanted to join them. I asked my parents for their consent, but though Ma was willing, Dad thinking that if anything happened to him, and I was away, there would be no one to take his place, so did not want me to join.

Both of my mates joined up but I kept at work until the latter end of August, when a gentleman of our village went round recruiting and persuaded several of my village mates to join. As things were now looking more serious, Dad gave his consent for me to join with my mates. On September 1st 1914 we left Flaunden in two motors for Clarendon Hall Watford where we passed the doctor and were sworn in. We left here for Hertford in the evening where we were paid 1/9 for our first day and food. Then were billeted out as the barracks were full.

The next morning we started off to Bedford but owing to bad train arrangements did not reach Kempston Barracks until the evening. Here we were paid another 1/9 and given instructions not to leave the barracks. As all the sleeping accommodation was already overflowing and the bell tents were full, we had to wrap ourselves up in our one blanket and sleep under the trees. Here we stayed until Sunday morning, doing nothing and only once allowed out. We had very little food here for none of us had a basin or canteen, so could not eat any of the soup they dished out.

The bread was always snatched by a certain clique; the rest of us had to bring all we had. Some of the chaps managed to get home on the Friday night, and one of them brought me back a parcel from home, on the Sunday morning, I was very pleased with this. On the Sunday morning we were all paraded in the meadow adjoining the barrack square and were each given a piece of bread and meat, our first decent meal. Then we marched off for the station en route for Languard near Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Until this we did not know to what regiment we had been allotted. Hardly any of us were pleased when we found we were now in the 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. When we arrived at Languard we were each given a blanket and a basin and plate between two, then we were told off to our different marquees, 60 in each. After a noisy night we paraded about 6.30 on the Monday morning for one hour gyms. Several of the chaps fainted on this parade for we had no food since leaving Bedford. After this parade we had our breakfast, then paraded again for short lectures and elementary drill.

Our food for the day was 1 lb bread, about 3 or 4 oz cheese a skilly of soup for dinner and a little jam for tea. There were heaps of rows about our food, also the blanket at night. It was not safe to leave anything about, for someone would be sure to walk off with it.

We found that each tent of 60 chaps formed a platoon and each 30, or one side of the tent formed a section. Mine was number 2 Section, Number 17 Platoon, and our Company, Number 5 D Coy. For six weeks we had a pretty easy time of it as far as parades were concerned, but rough noisy and cold nights. After this we went into billets, were issued our rifles and after a time got our khaki uniforms. Our work now increased and we got plenty of route marches. We were billeted along the sea front in Felixstowe in one of the swankiest boarding houses. Our old Sergeant, Green, now left us and a new one took us over. ** Sergeant Perry by name, he had been invalided home from the front. Under his instruction we soon became the smartest section of the smartest company in Felixstowe.

 

The Bucks Examiner, Friday May 10th 1918

Pt. Percy Doggett (Flaunden)

Mr. D. Doggett (Flaunden) states that he has received news that his son Pte. Percy Doggett, of the Bedford Regiment fell in action in France on April 26th. Letters conveying the news came from Percy's chum. The latter states"I must tell you that he did not suffer, as he was killed instantly. He is missed very much by us, as we were such good chums together and he was such a good man and so cheerful in all his ways." The chaplain states that he is buried in a little cemetery in a wood where a cross marks the spot. It is just a year ago since he went back to France for the fourth time. He had been wounded twice before and was ill for a long time with trench fever. He was sent to another front from France in December last and only recently came back to France.

Percy was buried at Hault and after the war exhumed and re buried at the Merville Communal Cemetery

 

** Sgt 9737 James Emmings Perry, from Bedford, was wounded in September 1914 at the Marne and invalided to Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot. After recovery he returned to the front with the 2nd Battalion and eventually transferred to the 7th (S) Battalion where he was Company Sergeant Major in D Company. He was wounded in the chest and spine on July 1st 1916 and died on July 9th 1916 aged 23years

 

 

Doggett's grave at Merville Communal Cemetery. His body was exhumed from his original burial at Hault and reburied here.

Sgt 9737 James Emmings Perry, from Bedford, was wounded in September 1914 at the Marne and invalided to Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot. He trained Doggett at Landguard.

Edited 4 October , 2022 by Raster Scanning

[charlie962]

Thanks for sharing this. 

Fascinating how current reporting on a hasty mobilisation shows many parallels for the 'chaos' of the first few days. Lack of food, lack of shelter...

But there the parallels end. Your extract shows how quickly order was installed and of course there was motivation.

Charlie

 

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39 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

Thanks for sharing this. 

Fascinating how current reporting on a hasty mobilisation shows many parallels for the 'chaos' of the first few days. Lack of food, lack of shelter...

But there the parallels end. Your extract shows how quickly order was installed and of course there was motivation.

Charlie

 

You know Charlie I thought exactly the same thing.

[steve fuller]

The 3rd Battalion was badly chaotic early August / September 1914, a mirror of most other reserve / new army units I imagine as they struggled to change to a war footing. From memory it wasn't until Lord Ampthill got hold of the organisational aspects and provided many of the basics that they really started getting better. I wonder if his remark about being unpleased was referring to not thinking he'd be in a reserve unit, or specific to the regiment perhaps?

I recall a book - diary of an unprofessional soldier if memory serves - which showed how crooked everyone was in the early stages of the war on the home front and how new recruits were treated almost as sub human, which I found absolutely fascinating to read!

[steve fuller]

Looks like Percy was killed during the 1st battalion's attack late 25th April or died from wounds a few hours later if the 16th date is accurate? If so A Company and a platoon from B Company provided the men for the operation.