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Percy Clive Dwyer - Information

Percy Clive was a member of the Dwyer family whom lived in the Campbelltown area. Born in Appin in 1884, Percy eventually moved to Thirroul with his father Thomas Henry, where he found work as a bricklayer. Percy was the youngest, but the first of his brothers to enlist, joining up at Casula on the 29th of January 1916, aged 22.

Percy left Sydney on the 3rd of May 1916 as a Private with the 13th Battalion on the HMAT Clan McGillivray. His unit arrived in Egypt in mid June, and in August was shipped to France. At the end of October, Percy joined the 13th Battalion in the field. They spent the winter on the Somme Battlefield. Renewed attacks saw the 13th launch an attack in the snow at Guedecourt in February 1917. Then in April, Percy’s unit participated in operations against the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. On the 11th of April, he was initially reported as missing in action. He was actually captured by the Germans at Riencourt. Percy now a prisoner of war, was interned at Limburg in Germany. While imprisoned, Percy was allowed certain liberties. His service record contains a letter he wrote to a Miss Holmes whom lived at Raymond Terrace, Bournopfield in Durham, asking her to send him some tinned food and tobacco. On the 1st of September 1917, German Command reported his condition to the Red Cross as ‘well,’€™ and that he was to be transferred to Friedrichsfeld. Percy held up in captivity rather well, except in July 1918, when he received treatment for rheumatism.

After the war ended, Percy was shipped to Rippon in England on the 16th of December 1918, and was transported to London. Unfortunately, when he returned to England, Percy developed sciatica resulting from his rheumatism. Then unluckily, he caught the flu in January 1919, which then led to a bronchial infection. He was hospitalised, and was eventually sent home to Australia aboard the Marathon, on the 19th of April 1919.