Percy L. Frost

Private, British Columbia Regiment (Canadian Expeditionary Force)

Percy L. Frost lived at 4 Vangaurd St, Deptford and was a student at Alleyn’s until 1911. After leaving school, he moved to Canada after being enticed by the job opportunities available in the country’s agricultural sector. When the news of the war arrived in Canada in August 1914, Percy quickly decided to leave his job as a farmer and enlist in the war effort as part of the newly established Canadian Expeditionary Force. After being found fit for service, he joined the British Columbia Regiment and was sent for service overseas on the Western Front. In November 1917, he was serving in Flanders during the Third Battle of Ypres and was part of the Canadian forces given the task of capturing Passchendaele Ridge during the final phase of the battle. On November 10^th 1917, the Canadians successfully captured this objective, finally bringing the Third Battle of Ypres to a close. This great achievement came to define the Canadian wartime experience and saw the Canadian troops widely considered as ‘shock troops’ of the British Army for their skill and determination in battle. However, this achievement came at a high cost and the Canadian forces suffered a significant amount of casualties in the battle for the ridge. Unfortunately, Percy was one of the many Canadian soldiers killed in action during the operation and he fell in battle on November 10^th 1917. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.