Percy Standish Hore’s death was announced in the newspaper – Flintshire Observer & News 27th May 1915.   Captain P.S. HORE 52 Sikhs, of Hawarden, killed in action 12th March 1915, attached to 59 Rifles.  Will – £3756.

This Officer has been added to the list as he was supposedly from Hawarden, at least that is what is said on a couple of sources.    The connection to Hawarden, as his family seem to have lived in St. Asaph, is that his mother was residing at “Bryn Tyrion” in Hawarden when she died in January 1915, and so his residence at the time of his death was given as Hawarden.    I believe that Harriet, Percy and Gladys could have been living in Hawarden as Gladys was the person who registered Harriet’s death in 1915.  He is actually on the St. Asaph War Memorial, but lots of soldiers are on more than 1 memorial, many are on more than four.

Imperial War Museum Website http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/17743

Wall-Mounted Alabaster Tablet. Red Lettering in St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden

Inscription – Pray For The Soul Of:/ Percy Standish Hore,/ Capt. 52nd Sikhs, F.F./ Killed In Action At/ Neuve Chapelle, France./ 12th March 1915

Harriet, his mother, died in the January of 1915, age 66, before Percy died in the March of the same year.   Her death was registered by her daughter, and her address was “Bryn Estyn”, Hawarden.   She stated on the 1911 census that she had had 2 children, both living, (this was crossed out by enumerator.)  So there was only Percy Standish and his sister Gladys Victoria Standish Hore, she was about 27 when her mother and Percy died, her father Frederick having died in 1895, age 59.

PROBATE:- London.
HORE, Percy Standish of Hawarden, Flintshire, Captain 52nd Sikhs, His Majesty’s Indian Army died 12th March 1915 at Neuve Chapelle in France. Killed in action.   Probate, London 20th May to Gladys Victoria Standish HORE, Spinster.    Effects:- £3756.11s.

Percy Standish was born in the September Quarter of 1881 in St. Asaph, Flintshire, the son of Frederick Standish and Harriet Williams.

It appears that Percy’s Father, Frederick S HORE married 3 times, once to Julia Stewart SCOTT, Mary Wentworth HORE, Mary was born when Frederick & Julia were in Canada with the army in 1862 and therefore a step-sister to Percy and Gladys.

Then Frederick married Mary DRUCE on the 13 Aug 1868 at St Giles’s Church, Camberwell, he was a Widower, they, I believe, had a son Leslie Sandish Hore who was born in Murree, Bengal, India 5th August 1870, baptised, 7th September 1870.

Then when Mary died he married Harriet WILLIAMS, Percy’s mother, on the 8th Jun 1875 at Saint James’s Church,Westminster,London,England.

The 1881 census shows Percy’s mother & father, Frederick & Harriet living at 1, East Parade, Rhuddlan (Flint), a lodging house as Boarders.    Frederic, 44, is described as a Lieut. Col, Retired, born in Dulwich, Middlesex, Harriet S., 33 had been born in Llandyrnog Denbighshire Wales.   Mary W. Hore,, 18, single and had been born in Canada.

*Percy Standish Hore was born on 10 August 1881 in St. Asaph. He was the only son of the three children of Frederic Standish Hore and the former Harriet Susannah Williams. His sisters were Mary Wentworth (1863) and Gladys Victoria S (1887). Their father was a retired Lieutenant Colonel and a Justice of the Peace.

The 1891 census sees Frederic and Harriet living in separate addresses, although it could have been possible that Harriet was visiting, but that is not stated on the census, Harriet, 43 is the sister of the head of the household, Lucy Victoria Lewis, 52 and a widow at Plasyn Cwm, Cwm Village, Cwm, Dymeirchion.  They were both “living on their own means.”   There were 6 servants in the house.

Frederick,54, Retired Lieutenant Colonel R P 39 Regt. and Justice Of The Peace born Dulwich Surrey is seen on the 1891 census as living at Rose Hill, Roe, St Asaph,   With him is their son Percy S.Hore, 9 and daughter Gladys V. S. Hore, 3, both of whom had been born in St. Asaph.   There was 1 Governess and 3 servants.

As stated earlier, Frederick had died in 1895, so Harriet,53, is a widow by the 1901 census and living at : Brownlow Villas, Chester Street, St Asaph, Flintshire.   She is described as an “Annuitant.”   Son Percy S., 19 and single was now a 2nd Lieut South Wales Borderers.   Daughter Gladys V.S., was 13.   There were 2 servants.

The 1911 census sees Harriet, 63, with her sister Lucy Victoria, 72, living at Plas Yn Cwm on Private Means again.   This time there were 5 servants.   Gladys was a visitor at Tyddyn, St. Asaph, Flintshire (15 rooms) with Gwenydd Cunliffe, single, 50 and who had been born in Madras, India.   2 Servants were also there.

*He was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire. In 31 March 1901 he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers and in May 1904 transferred as Captain to the S Indian Infantry (52nd Sikhs Frontier Force).

However, at some point Harriet, Percy and Gladys must have made their home in Hawarden, as stated above.   Any information greatly appreciated.

Percy was in the South Wales Borderers on the 1901 census which was on the 31st March 1901, He was first commissioned on the 5th January 1901 presumably in the South Wales Borderer’s, thereafter he must have joined the 52nd Sikhs as an Officer, as he was shown on the Indian Quarterly List for 1st January 1912.

*S Indian Infantry (52nd Sikhs Frontier Force)
This was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1846 as the 2nd Regiment of Infantry (The Frontier Brigade). It was designated as the 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion (Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 4th Battalion, the Frontier Force Regiment.

UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls 1793 – 1914 about P.S. Hore show that his service was from 1897 – 1902 in the South Wales Borderers

There are 2 Medal Cards for Percy, one giving details of the 15 Star and the other giving details of the British & Victory Medals but doesn’t give any details of his first Theatre of War nor when he entered it.

I cannot find any Service records for Percy nor any War Diaries that would cover the Sikhs battles or campaigns.  He was in the 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force).

Commonwealth War Graves Commission additional information – Son of the late Lt. Col. and Mrs. Standish Hore, of St. Asaph, Flints.

*Many thanks again to Alwyn – from a booklet “Lest We Forget” by Alwyn Evans of St. Asaph,