Lionel Percy Tate
Wargnies-Le-Grande Churchyard
Wargnies-Le-Grande Churchyard 2018
Wargnies-Le-Grande Churchyard 2018
Medal Index Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Lionel Percy, was born 17th April 1892, one of 9 children all of whom survived, was the eldest of 7 brothers and 2 sisters. His father Robert William Tate born, January 29th 1862 at Gateshead, married at Benwell, a suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, June 9th 1890, to Emma Stainsby, born March 11th 1865, native of Darlington, the daughter of master builder, Lionel Stainsby and wife Annie. In 1891 they are listed as visitors in the home of William and Laura Fail nee Tate, Robert William’s sister, at 86, Gainsborough Gardens, Elswick, Robert was employed as a clerk. Their eldest son Lionel Percy was born April 17th 1892, daughter Maurita 1894, Robert Edward 1896, Norman 1897 and Alfred Cecil in 1900. They and their children had relocated to 148, Tynemouth Road, Byker and by 1911 to number 120, their family now complete with the birth of Sydney in 1902, George Stanley 1904, James Septimus 1906 and lastly Gladys May in 1908. Lionel Percy attended Chillingham Road School and Skerry’s College Newcastle, and along with his brother Robert Edward, following in their father’s footsteps were employed as shipping registry and colliery owners’ clerks, Norman (13) was a scholar as were his siblings with the exception of Gladys May.
Prior to the commencement of WW1 Lionel Percy had been employed in the chief accountant’s office of the famous shipbuilders Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Limited, Wallsend. He had enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, February 17th 1913 as a Territorial, for a period of 4 years. a force designated for home service. Its members could not be compelled to serve overseas, however, upon the declaration of war many volunteered and the Territorial Force was split during August and September into 1st Line, for service overseas and 2nd Line, home service. Lionel Percy was assigned as Private 605 to the Northumberland Hussars attached to the Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line, training at the Army Riding School at Newcastle attached to the Yorkshire Mounted Brigade. Having joined the 7th Infantry Division at Lyndhurst in Hampshire as part of the British Expeditionary Force, Private Tate departed with the brigade for the front, leaving Southampton, landing at Zeebrugge, October 5th 1914. Split into 3, he was attached to A Squadron 1/1st Northumberland Hussars which remained with the 7th Division. They fought in Belgium during the 1st Battle of Ypres, October 19th-November 30th 1914 and reunited in May 1916 at Aubers Ridge, with the other squadrons, went on to fight together at the Battle of Loos, at the Battles of the Somme, participating as the cavalry unit of the XIII Corps then during 1917 moving between Corps they participated at the 3rd Battle of Ypres. Private Tate during this time was promoted and by September 1917 was a Corporal with a change of service number to 267069. He was taken to the 19th Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. January 30th 1917, suffering from ICT face (inflammation connecting tissue), returning to duty February 2nd 1917, and for one day only to the 94th Field Ambulant, June 26th 1917 receiving treatment for a back contusion.
Corporal Tate returned to England October 9th 1917 and was admitted to Cadet School. In his application his first choice was to become a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, second choice Infantry, to which he was assigned and had been expected to join the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was discharged from the ranks and offered a commission, 2nd Lieutenant with 'C' Company 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (Territorial Force), 56th Brigade, 19th Division, joining his regiment in the field during May 1918. The division had returned from Belgium to the Somme when the Germans attacked again on that front, March 28th 1918 and when he joined them were engaged during the Battle of Aisne, May 27-June 6th 1918 and during the Final Advance in Picardy were in action at the Battle of the Selle October 17th-25th, the Battle of Sambre November 4th and the passage of the Grand Honelle November 5th-7th 1918. At the declaration of the Armistice they were in billets near Bavay.
2nd Lieutenant Tate as part of 'C' Company accompanied by 'B' Company, after heavy enemy shelling, passed through and captured the high ground 300 yards N-NE at Wargnies Le Grande. Although they reached their objective, 2nd Lieutenant Lionel Percy Tate was one of 3 officers killed, 2 others were wounded as were many of the ranks. He is interred at Wargnies-Le-Grande Churchyard (north boundary), Nord, France, which contains 24 burials of WW1. At the time of his demise he was 26 years old and although single did have a fiancé, Miss Cissy Dryden, whom, after his loss, never married and always kept his photo with her.
The shattering news of his demise came only a few days before the Armistice and reached his family during an anxious period, his brother Norman serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers had been listed as missing, he too was later confirmed to have died.
His mother Emma received her son's personal items, November 24th 1918, consisting of; binoculars in case & sling, tobacco pouch, protractor, 2 note books, fountain pen, wallet, photographs, advance book, cheque book, letters, papers etc. and later all monies due to him, his awards of the 1914 'Mons' Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at 111, Spencer Street, Heaton, Newcastle., Northumberland.
Emma Tate nee Stainsby died aged 82 years, December 23rd 1947, preceded by her husband Robert William who had died June 7th 1928, aged 66 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
In memory of the 24 British Soldiers who were killed in action 4th – 6th November 1918 and were buried at Wargnies Le Grand Churchyard a commemoration of their sacrifice took place on the 4th November 2018. Members of the Tate family were in attendance.
Lionel Percy Tate is remembered at Heaton as Tait on H91.44
