Copyright The War Graves Photographic
Project.
Died on Sunday 5th May 1918 Aged 21. Son of C.William and S.S.Heath of
Ivy Cottage, Machen, Newport, Mon. Buried at Dorian Military Cemetery,
near the Southeast shore of Lake Dorian, 2kms from Dorian Village.
The cemetery is now the site of what was known to the British troops
as Colonial Hill.
Percy Heath had served with his battalion in France before being
transferred to the Balkans. Corporal Heath was awarded the Military
Medal for his actions during an attack near the Vardar River. Following
a very heavy and prolonged gas and high explosive artillery barrage,
that had lasted for over 18 hours, he had ‘brought in’
a wounded man under heavy fire.
He was also Mentioned in Despatches in March 1918, although it was
reported at home that he had been recommended for the award of the
Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The Battalion diary for the 4th and 5th of May 1918 records that
the men were involved in preparing defensive positions in their
second line of defence.
5th May 1918.
A shell landed amongst a working party of ‘C’ company
who were working on gun positions on La Fortune, killing 2 men and
wounding 13, one of whom died the following day. No 7/17896 Cpl
Heath.P. M.M. was killed; his death was a great loss to the Battalion,
as he was a very capable N.C.O. and a fearless soldier.
It is unusual for the Battalion Diary to refer to individual, and
especially ‘Other Ranks’. Before the war, Percy Heath
had been a miner at Nine Mile Point colliery.
Page from the Roll of Honour - on permanent display in Brecon Cathedral
‘Till we meet again’
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