People on board

THURSTON, Percy William

Percy William Thurston was born in January 1900 in West Ham, London to John James Thurston and Jane Elizabeth Doubleday. He was the fourth of their six children, all of whom were alive in 1911. John Thurston was a Cook/Chef and the family lived in Cornwallis Road in Walthamstow. In 1911 the eldest, seventeen year old Jane Amelia, had an intriguing occupation – ‘Incandesent (sic) Gas Mantle’ ‘Plaissety Company’. In contrast, fourteen year old John Charles was a ‘Van Boy’.

It would appear that it was late in 1918 when Percy Thurston enlisted in the Essex Yeomanry, as the Records of Soldiers’ Effectsshow that he was not admissible for the War Gratuity, which was based on length of service. He was with the 2/1st Regiment which was a second-line unit which had moved to Ireland in early 1918. Whether returning on leave or to be deployed, he travelled on RMS Leinster on the 10th of October. He did not survive the sinking, nor was his body recovered. His name is recorded on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton.