Percy (Bertie) Fuller
Memorial: Marshfield - High Street
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
Medals: British War Medal, Military Medal, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Gunner
Parents: Arthur and Clara Fuller
Marital status: Single
Home address: 140 High Street, Marshfield, Glos
Pre-war occupation: Grocer's Assistant
Date of birth: 1895
Place of birth: Marshfield, Glos
Date of death: 21/07/1917
Buried/Commemorated at: Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Age: 20
Further information:
Bertie Fuller as he is remembered on the village and church war memorials, was christened Percy and would have been uncle to Percy Fuller who for so long lived and operated his hardware and contracting business from 96 High Street. Bertie’s father was a blacksmith and the family lived at 140 High Street, Marshfield
When Bertie left school he became a grocer’s assistant and in August 1914, aged 18 enlisted, entering the Royal Field Artillery.
In mid-July 1915 Bertie crossed to France to join his unit, the 36th Battery in 33rd Brigade, at that time part of the 8 Division. His battery had been in France since October 1914 and was clearly a battle hardened unit. In the two years he served with 33rd Battery, he saw a lot of action, notably at Bois Grenier, a diversionary action to coincide with Loos and then at Albert during the first phase of the Battle of the Somme. His battery of 18 Pounders were seldom out of the action in that long desperate battle amid the wet and mud of the Flanders, bombarding the German positions. Then in 1917 his battery played it’s part at Arras as the Germans withdrew to their newly prepared positions in the Hindernberg Line. He saw more action at Posieres, repulsing an attack for which the British were ready, thanks to information given by a deserter. The War Diary states that the German prisoners taken at this action were of poor physique and quality. More action took place around Bapaume as the Germans withdrew, on entering the town the British gunners found the town had been set on fire by the Germans and was totally gutted. Now positioned just west of the Bapaume – Arras road 33rd Battery were almost constantly in action exchanging fire with the Germans opposite. Some time during May or June, Bertie Fuller was awarded the Military Medal one of the highest award an OR can win probably for rescuing wounded comrades under fire. The award was announced in the London Gazette on 16 August, but no details as to the act of gallantry were published, a practice that continued even in World War 2
He was Gazetted, some three weeks after he was killed. A stray shell burst through a building near Bethune in which Bertie Fuller was standing on 21 July and he was killed outright as his battery were making preparations for the battle of Third Ypres, better known as Passchendaele
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://allaroundmarshfieldorg.wordpress.com/world-war-1-remembrance-stories/