Bolton, Percy Roy
No.1577 – Sergeant Percy Roy Bolton 16th Battalion AIF
Percy (Snowy) Roy Bolton was born in North Fremantle in 1895 to HH & Mary Jane Bolton. A brother Alfred was born in 1899 and Leonard in 1903. Percy attended Fremantle State School where he took part in the School Cadet Course.
After leaving school Percy served in the Royal Australian Navy. He was sent to HMAS Cerberus for his initial training from the 13th July 1912 to 30th April 1913. He was then sent to the London Depot of the Royal Australian Navy for several weeks and on the 22nd June 1913 he was posted to HMAS Australia. He served on this ship until the 3rd October 1913 when he was transferred to HMAS Penguin. He only served on this ship for just over two weeks and on the 25th October 1913 he returned to HMAS Australia. Percy served on HMAS Australia until the 20th September 1914 so he was on this ship when the war broke out.
Percy then gained his discharge through purchase and returned to Fremantle. He then took up work for a short time as a Customs Clerk in the Government Stores in Fremantle and was living in Victoria Ave North Fremantle during this period. On the 19th November 1914 he offered his services to the AIF. He was medically examined and accepted as fit for service. He was found to be 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight of 127 lbs; chest measurement of 34-38 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Protestant.
After spending two months in the training depot, Percy was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF with the rank of Sergeant and the regimental number 1577. This group embarked from Fremantle on the 22nd February 1915 aboard the A50 H.M.A.T. “Itonus”. After arriving in Egypt in March, Percy spent the next few weeks training in the desert, until he was sent to join the 16th Battalion at Lemnos Island on the 12th April 1915.
It seems that Percy joined the 16th Battalion after the landing at Gallipoli, records indicating that he officially came on strength of the 16th on the 7th May 1915. Two days later, on the 9th May, the 16th took part in an assault on Quinn’s Post. During this action, Percy was reported as missing. This news was conveyed back to his parents in Fremantle and many telegrams were sent to the authorities pleading for more information. The State commandant, Colonel Bruche, and the Member for Fremantle Reginald Burchell, sent telegrams to the authorities on behalf of the family. A trickle of news began to come in as men wounded in the attack were interviewed.
In hospital in Epsom England, a Private McLean was interviewed by an Australian Officer Captain Southey about the attack on the Turkish trenches at Quinn’s Post. Southey wrote that;
“Sgt Bolton came up with a small party of reinforcements and shook hands with McLean to whom he was personally known. When the party retired Sgt Bolton did not go with them and Mclean never saw him again. Lieut (then Corporal) Benporath told McLean that he saw Sgt Bolton shot’.
Quarter Master Sergeant T.J. Nicholls of the 16th wrote that;
“On the morning of 10th May in front of Quinn’s Post I saw Bolton lying dead in the Turkish trenches. I was one of a small party cut off in these trenches but managed to get out. Bolton was a personal friend and I could not be mistaken. Owing to the exposed position I could not get his disc.”
It therefore seems that Percy was shot dead in the Turkish trenches and as the attack was a failure his body could not be recovered and was left there. Once the Turkish soldiers regained their position they would have removed the Australian soldier’s bodies for burial somewhere behind their front trenches. Percy’s name is therefore recorded on the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing.