Percival Cranston
Percival Cranston was born in Ottershaw, Surrey (a small village near Addestone) and he was still a resident of Ottershaw when he went to Guildford, Surrey and enlisted as Private L/9922 in the 2nd Battalion of the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was sent to France/Flanders (Belgium) where on the 07th of November 1914 he died of wounds in Poperinghe, an aincient Belgin town behind the lines near Ypres. Percival is buried in Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery.
Poperinghe is located about 7 miles to the West of Ypres and during the war the military soon realised the importance of this location and it rapidly became the main military centre for the war in Flanders, with a sprawling number of camps, depots and hospitals. Being the main military town for the Flanders war meant that most of the soldiers fighting at Ypres passed through it at some stage, so as well as having the main army supply depots it also contained many bars and clubs for soldiers stationed there, or having a "rest" away from the front line, such as Talbot House (all ranks) and Skindles (Officers). Also located in Poperinghe were the field hospitals and most of the commonwealth war graves in the town are, like Percival Cranston, soldiers who died in the hospitals here.
Poperinghe Town Square (1916)
Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery
Percival Cranston's Grave
Percival Cranston photograph courtesy of Surrey Hearald Newspapers