| Regimental number | 198 |
| Place of birth | Lower Freestone Creek, Warwick, Queensland |
| School | Freestone Creek State School |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Address | Goomburra, via Allora, Queensland |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 24 |
| Height | 5' 8.5" |
| Weight | 156 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, Richard Ford, Goomburra, via Allora, Queensland |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 31st Battalion, A Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/48/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on |
| Two ships sailed from Melbourne carrying men from the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C, and D: HMAT A62,'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915, and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. | |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 31st Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Previous to enlisting, deceased was an all round sportsman and also a musician. (details from mother) |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Pozieres, Somme Sector, France |
| Age at death | 26 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 26 |
| Place of burial | New Irish Farm Cemetery (Plot XXXI, Row F, Grave No. 18), St. Jean-Les-Ypres, Belgium |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 118 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Richard and Annie Elizabeth FORD, Gwen Terrace, Paddington, Queensland. Native of Freestone Creek, Warwick, Queensland |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Suez, ex-HMT 'Wandilla', 7 December 1915. Appointed Lance Corporal, Serapeum, 10 December 1915. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Reported missing, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 1081109, 1687 Sergeant G.W. CUMMINGS, A Company, 31st Bn (patient, No 2 General Hospital (Casino), Havre), 24 November 1916: 'I saw his dead body in the German trenches at Fleu[r[baix on the 20th July 1916 - Apparently he had been hit in the head. We were retiring and left our dead there.' Additional statement by CUMMINGS (patient, 51st General Hspital, Etaples), 4 April 1917: 'Just as we got to the German wire on July 19th. I saw a German throw a bomb at him and wound him in the arm. One of the 3/Bc. [?] (name Wilson) bandaged his arm. He was lying on the barbed wire, tangled up in it when I saw him. That was the last I know of him.' Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19.'MSBV |
| Miscellaneous details | Father's address subsequently Gwen Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland; then Gasworks, Cairns, Queensland |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, FORD Percy
Red Cross file 1081109 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
