Blick, Percival

No.893 Sergeant Percy Swithen Blick – 44^th Battalion AIF

Percy Swithen Blick was born in Fremantle in 1892 to Peter and Jane Blick. A sister, Minne was born in 1894 and a brother Charles in 1905 though unfortunately Charles died shortly after birth. After attending the local Fremantle state school, Percy took up the trade of boot maker. The family had moved to Subiaco and for a time in Perth though it appears they soon moved back to East Fremantle where they took up residence in Canning Road.

Percy was working as a boot maker when he enlisted into the AIF on the 5^th January 1916. The examining Doctor found Percy to be 5 feet 5 & ¾ inches in height; weight of 117 lbs; chest measurement of 32-35 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes, brown hair and his religious denomination was Wesleyan. Percy was assigned to the Machine Gun Section of the 44^th Battalion AIF.

The 44^th Battalion trained at Claremont Show Grounds until they embarked from Fremantle on the 6^th June 1916 aboard the “Suevic”. They disembarked at Plymouth England on the 21^st July 1916 and headed for the training grounds of Salisbury Plains. They were to spend the next four months training in England. The 44^th Battalion embarked from England to France in late November however Percy did not join them as he had been admitted to hospital on the 11^th November 1916 and had only been discharged on the 1^st December. He spent a few more weeks at No.11 Training Battalion before embarking for France on the 20^th December 1916. He joined the 3^rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples and stayed with them until February 1917. He rejoined the 44^th Battalion on the 20^th February 1917.

The 44^th Battalion soon moved to the Ploegsteert area near Messines and would remain there for the next few months. Percy took part in the actions at Messines and got through unscathed. In August 1917 Percy was appointed Lance Corporal and served at the rank at through September at the Third Battle of Ypres. The 44^th Battalion were involved in an attack on the 4^th October and a few days later Percy was promoted to Corporal.

The 44^th took part in the next assault on the 12^th October 1917 during which Percy was wounded in the neck and face. He was sent back to hospital in Rouen and then transferred to England where he was admitted to No.1 Southern General Hospital in King’s Heath. In December 1917, Percy was transferred to Convalescent Depot at Hurdcott.

By April Percy had recovered enough to be sent back to France and on the 25^th April 1918 he marched into the New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, only rejoining the 44^th Battalion on the 4^th May 1918.

He served with the 44^th Battalion through the next four months, taking part in the successful Battle of Hamel on the 4^th July 1918. Three days later he was promoted to Sergeant. The 44^th Battalion had a crucial role in the first phase of the August 8^th advance, and they successfully captured their objectives. Through August & September the Australians followed up the retreating Germans; the 44^th were continually in action and by the end of Septembers their numbers were much reduced. On the 29^th September 1918 they advanced into the Hindenburg Line and took heavy casualties due to the failure of the American troops in the first wave to properly mop up the Germans. Unfortunately, Percy was one of those killed.

Corporal Thompson of D Company of the 44^th Battalion stated that;

“I saw Sgt Blick killed instantly (shot through head) by machine gun bullet in the Hindenburg Line on the right of Bony September 29^th about 2pm in the front line of trenches. He was up over the trench sniping. I buried him that afternoon where he fell and erected a cross. L/Cpl Bill Streeter (from NZ) was killed at the same time and in the same way.”

After the war Percy’s body was recovered from the battlefield grave and reburied at Bellicourt British Cemetery France, Plot III.I.5