Percy William Mardell
Percy Mardell was born in Hornsey in 1882, but his father, William, was a local man from Codicote. William was a gardener and as his children were born in various places around the South, presumably moved around for work. But by the turn of the century William, wife Hannah and family were back in Welwyn, living in Mill Lane.
Percy married Grace Emma Catlin in Hitchin in 1908. Grace was born in Surrey but had been living in Welwyn for some time. Her parents were both from Welwyn - George Catlin and Theresa Bullard. Hence Percy had married a cousin of Henry Quinton Bullard, another casualty. Clearly in the tight community of Welwyn at this time the effects of war touched extended families several times over.
In 1911 Percy and Grace were living in Holland Park Avenue, London, where he was a Jeweller’s Shop Assistant. The couple had two children, Eric and Grace.
Originally Percy enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment but was later transferred to the Royal Fusiliers
Percy died on the 13th March 1917 in Rouen. Throughout the war Commonwealth hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen, so it would seem likely that Percy died in hospital there. The exact details leading to his death are not yet known.
A joint memorial service was held for him,
Cecil Blake, John Mayes and Harry Ward in St Mary’s Church on the
2nd May 1917.
At the service the Union Flag was carried up the aisle by
Corporal Henry Quinton Bullard, who just months before had lost his own son
on the Somme.
His brother Leonard served with the Labour Corps and survived the war.
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