Percy Charles Eversden

WWI Roll of Honour

by Lynette Wray

Percy Charles Eversden

Military History:        

Regiment:                              
Machine Gun Corps 
(previously North Staffordshire Regiment)

Rank:                                     
Corporal

Service Number:                    
201554 (previously 38901, 52559, 202309)

Date of Enlisting:                            
16.6.1915

Date of death:                        
7.10.1959

Cemetery/ Memorial:            

UK Cemetery/Memorial:      
St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour

Percy enlisted with the 3/5th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment on 16th June 1915 in Alfreton, Derbyshire. He saw active service in France as a gunner. On the 23rd August 1916 he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, the Heavy Branch of which was the first to use tanks in combat and subsequently turned into the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment.  Percy was a mechanic and chauffer, and in November 1917 was appointed a 1st class tank mechanic. He was promoted to corporal in November 1918.

Percy survived the war and returned to his family in Derbyshire. He died on 7th October 1959.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Family History:

Date of Birth:                26.12.1884

Birth Place:                   Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Residence:                    Alfreton, Derbyshire

Marriage:                      1.6.1908

Percy was born in Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 26th December 1884, the third son of Julius James and Emma (nee Harradine) Eversden. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell. 

He married Mary Emma Cupit on 1st June 1908 in Alfreton, Derbyshire. They had three children, Julius John born 26th July 1908 but who died aged 2 in 1911, Winifred Mary born 1910, and William Douglas born on 10th June 1917.

Prior to joining the army Percy was a gardener at Carnfield Hall, Alfreton, living in The Cottage on the property.

Percy died at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire on 7th October 1959.

Percy’s brothers Harry and (Harvey) Cecil survived the War but William and Julius were killed in action.

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