Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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14120   Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 03/12/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 11th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Died: 07/12/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age: 22
Summary      
Percy Simpson was the son of Robert and Rachel Simpson. Percy was born about 1895 in Philadelphia, U.S.A. The 1901 census shows Percy Simpson living with his grandparents, Robert and Anna Maria Credden, in Camgart, Clabby, County Fermanagh. Percy enlisted in Enniskillen. Percy had been wounded at Thiepval and again at Messines Ridge. Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson was serving with the 11th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action in France and Flanders on Friday the December 1917. He was 22 years old.
Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson
Further Information
Percy Simpson was the son of Robert and Rachel Simpson.
Percy was born about 1895 in Philadelphia, U.S.A.
The 1901 census shows Percy Simpson living with his grandparents, Robert and Anna Maria Credden, in Camgart, Clabby, County Fermanagh. Percy was 5 years old.
Percy attended Clabby National School.
The 1911 census shows Percy Simpson living with his grandmother, Anna Maria Credden, in Camgort, Clabby, County Fermanagh. Percy was 15 years old and working as a farm assistant.
After leaving school, he worked his grandmother’s farm.
Percy Simpson was a member of the U.V.F. and Cavanaleck (Fivemiletown) L.O.L. No. 623.
In 1915, Percy enlisted in Enniskillen.
Medal card
Private Percy Simpson landed in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5th October 1915.
Percy was wounded at the Somme on 1st July 1916 and again at Messines Ridge in 1917.
Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson was serving with the 11th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action in France and Flanders on Friday 7th December 1917. He was 22 years old.
From the Impartial Reporter dated 17th January 1918: War News
Mrs David Credden, Gortmore, Fivemiletown, has received intimation from the War Office that 14120 Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Donegal and Fermanagh Volunteers), was killed in action on 7th December 1917. He was previously wounded by shrapnel in the great advance on 1st July 1916 at the Battle odf the Somme. Previous to the war he was a member of the UVF and Cavanaleck LOL.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 18th January 1918:
Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Donegal and Fermanagh), was killed in action on 7th December. He was wounded at the Somme on 1st July 1916, and previous to the war was a member of the U.V.F. and Cavanaleck (Fivemiletown) L.O.L.
Lance Sergeant Simpson has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial in Louverval.
Cambria Memorial photo kindly donated by Bob Pike, courtesy of Carrie Pike, via the Great War Forum.
Lance Sergeant Percy Simpson is commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial.
Lance Sergeant Simpson is listed on page 60 of the Fivemiletown book, from which most of these details come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information and photo.
Lance Sergeant Simpson is listed on page 470 of the Fermanagh War Dead book.
The CWGC record Lance Sergeant Simpson as the son of Robert and Rachel Simpson, of Philadelphia, U.S.A. He was previously wounded at Thiepval and Messines Ridge.
Read more
Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Camgart, Clabby Fivemiletown Census listing in Camgart, Clabby 54.401647 -7.381468
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Percy Simpson Lists Percy as age 5 living with his grandparents at house 11 in Camgart, Clabby, Fermanagh
2 1911 Census lists Percy Simpson Lists Percy as age 15 living with his grandparents at house 16 in Camgort, Clabby, Fermanagh
3 FindAGrave.com Poor photo of Percy Simpson's inscription
4 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023