Percy Simmonds

Bank: Parr’s Bank

Place of work: Bury branch

Died: 26 June 1916

Percy Grenfell Simmonds was born in Ardwick, Manchester, on 28 October 1892, the son of Delasaux Egginton Mount Simmonds, a clergyman, and his wife Agnes Mary. From about 1910 he worked for Parr's Bank.

In November 1914 Simmonds left his job at the bank's Bury branch to join The King's (Liverpool Regiment). Corporal Simmonds was killed in action on the Somme on 26 June 1916. He was 23 years old.

His obituary in the bank's staff magazine quoted a letter to Simmonds' father from one of his officers: 'Your son was a splendid fellow. He was known as the 'gas expert', as he was our company gas corporal, and in [these] duties, as in all his work, he was most conscientious and enthusiastic. I often thought that he was wasted as a corporal, as he would have made an excellent officer. I know the Major thought a great deal of Corporal Simmonds, and always relied on him absolutely. I hope you will accept the sympathy of the officers of the company in your great misfortune. He was very popular both with the officers and men, and his loss will be keenly felt by all who knew him as a splendid NCO and a cool, quiet gentleman'.

Percy Simmonds is commemorated on a bank war memorial at NatWest Bury branch.