Percy Block

A Lance Corporal with 10th Bn., Percy died on 18th of November 1916 at the age of 32. 

Percy was born at Gisleham in 1884, a son of Jonah and Elizabeth Block. He was baptised at Saint Edmund's Church, Kessingland, on 30 August 1885. In 1891 his family lived at Church Road, Kessingland. By 1901 they were living at 5 Maud Terrace, Kessingland, and Percy was a laundry van driver. 

On 22 April 1905 Percy married Mabel Hurren at Saint Peter's Church, Kirkley. Percy was a conductor and they both lived at Kirkley. By 1911 they lived at 106 Morton Road, Kirkley, and Percy was a tramway conductor for Lowestoft Borough Council.

Percy enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Royal Fusiliers and was posted to the 10th Battalion in France. 

On 16 November 1916 the 10th Battalion were ordered to attack and capture Munich Trench, Frankfurt Trench and Leave Avenue and establish a strong point. Then they were ordered occupy Muck Trench, from Leave Avenue to Railway Avenue with four strong points. During the night of 16/17 November an encounter with the enemy led to six casualties in the Battalion.
The 17 November ‘passed without remarkable incident: some enemy shelling’. Reinforcements were sent to the left post in Muck Alley. During the night of 17/18 November the machine-gun team at left post in Muck Trench was knocked out by a shell with the officer in charge and nearly all the men being killed. 
At 6.10 a.m. on 18 November an attack by 32 Division commenced and all the parties of the Battalion stormed their objectives. All but one made good, but due to 32Division’s lack of progress the Battalion’s parties had to be withdrawn. 
The Battalion lost five men killed on 17 November (possibly the machine-gun team) and one officer and 19 men killed, including Percy, on 18 November.