Budd, Percy Denham

7958 Private Percy Denham Budd - 16th Battalion AIF

Percy Budd was born in Brentford Middlesex England circa January 1895 to Jacob and Lucy Budd. He was the youngest of several siblings, with Harry (1878), Charles (1881), Fred (1883), Stanley (1885), Margaret (1887), May (1890) and Sydney (1892).

In the 1881 Census, the Budd family had been living at St Anns Road 2 Caroline Terrace Tottenham in Middlesex. In 1891, the family were living in Mortlake, Surrey. In the 1901 census the family in shown as living in Isleworth Middlesex. In 1909 his mother Lucy died in Cornwall, and so Percy came with his father and older siblings to Australia and took up residence at 97 Glyde Street East Fremantle. (later renumbered to 53 Glyde Street)

(Photo below of family in the late 1890's - Percy Budd front row sitting in front of his mother)

Percy was living at 97 Glyde Street with his father Jacob and siblings.

He then found work as a farm hand in the Northam district.

On the 18th September 1917 Percy enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. Two days later on the 20th September 1917 his older brother Harry was killed in action in Belgium while serving with the 28th Battalion AIF.

The medical officer passed Percy as fit for enlistment and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 140lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;

Complexion - fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - fair.

Upon his successful enlistment, Percy was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to Number D3 Depot. He had nearly a month of basic infantry training at this camp and on the 7th November 1917 was transferred into the 27th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF.

Percy had just over two weeks training with this group when their embarkation orders arrived and they entrained for Fremantle Harbour. On the 24th November 1917 Percy and his group boarded the transport ship SS Canberra and set sail for Egypt. On arrival at Suez the men were disembarked and reboarded the ship Kashgar. They then sailed to England via Taranto in Italy. The ship finally arrived at Southampton on the 30th January 1918.

Percy and his group were then disembarked and sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp. He had the next few months in England and had a bout of sickness which delayed his departure for France. On the 20th May 1918 Percy was sent across to France and after a few days in the Australian Infantry Base Depot, he was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion on the 29th May 1918.

The 16th Battalion were then in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux. On the 4th July 1918 Percy took part in the successful operations which capture the village of Hamel.

Percy was detached for duty for a few days with the 4th Australian Division Ammunition Column but returned to the 16th Battalion on the 6th August 1918.

Percy served with the 16th Battalion in the August 8th 1918 advance. The 16th Battalion were in action along the Somme River and took their objectives. They were in action up till the 18th September 1918 when they were withdrawn from the line for a well deserved rest.

On the 26th October 1918 Percy was evacuated ill with influenza. He was admitted to the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbeville. He was diagnosed with broncho-pneumonia and was marked down as a severe case. On the 7th November 1918 Percy was transferred to hospital in England and was admitted to Exeter War Hospital.

Percy took some time to recover from his illness and was only released from Exeter war hospital on the 20th December 1918. He was then granted a two week furlough and was able to visit family and friends over the Christmas and New Year period.

On the 4th January 1919 Percy reported for duty at No.4 Command Depot Camp. He would wait in this camp until he received his embarkation orders. These finally arrived and on the 24th January 1919 Percy boarded the ship Delta in Devonport Harbour and set sail for Australia.

Percy arrived back in Fremantle on the 28th February 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on the 22nd March 1919.

Percy stayed with his father in Glyde Street East Fremantle and then returned to farming out at Northam.

In 1922 Percy married Alice May Dunn and they would have two daughters, Joan and Daphne.

In 1922 Percy was farming at Quellagetting near Cunderdin. 

Percy's father Jacob died at his house at 43 George Street in East Fremantle in 1925.

Percy farmed in the Cunderdin district till the early 1960's and then retired to Yokine in the 1960's.

Percy died on the 22nd July 1970 aged 75 during a trip to  South Africa. He was cremated in South Africa and his ashes returned to Karrakatta Cemetery.

(Budd family photo courtesy of family ancestry page)