208666 CSM.. Percy Shaw DCM.British Army 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade from:267 Welbeck Rd. My grandfather, Percy Shaw enlisted at Sandown, Isle of Wight on 2nd June 1894. He was initialy sent to Penninsular Barracks in Winchester and then, after training posted, funnily enough, to the 1st Battalion at Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight. After postings to Malta and Singapore his battalion was posted to South Africa. His battalion were involved in much fighting throughout the Boer war including the relef of Ladysmith (Mentioned In Despatches), Tugela Heights, Colenso and the battle of Monte Cristo. It was while defending a baggage train (F company-v-300 Boers)that he was wounded and put forward for the D.C.M. The medal being gazetted in 1900. He was wounded one more time before the battalion was sent back to U.K. in 1902. Then followed what appears to be the normal round of peactime postings one of which was Dublin. Then four million Germans came over the horizon!! Still with F compny, 1 Rifle Brigade he embarked for France. My mum, his second daughter, being born at Colchester Garrison 2 weeks after he left. The Battalion's actions during the War are a matter of record. During an action near Mons he rescued an officer who was wounded on a bridge and still under fire, a recomendation was made for a V.C. but the officer concerned died at the regimental aid post and the rules then were an officer must witness the deed or action. After being wounded twice more he was posted at the end of hostilities to the Labour Corps finally being repatriated to the U.K. from Le Havre in 1919 when he was reunited with the four and a half year old daughter he had never seen. He continued in the Army serving 25 yrs and 65 days. He then worked at the Army School of Equitation untill ill health forced him to retire in 1933. He died in Worthing in 1936. And as of this date 30 January 2012 the daughter he never saw untill she was nearly 5 is still alive and is 97.
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