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5774748
Private
Percy Wilfred Bix
1916 - Born Docking, Norfolk
Son of Harry and Sophia (nee West) Bix
Royal Norfolk Regiment
7th Battalion
The 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment was formed of Territorials in 1939. In the summer of 1939 the battalion was at Fulmer near Brighton but the weather and limited equipment did not allow much training. With the outbreak of war the battalion broke away with the 5th battalion and the HQ was at Kings Lynn with Lt-Col. C.A. Debenham in command. The companies ‘A’ and ‘B’ were at Swaffham and ‘C’ and ‘D’ were at Dersingham. During October the battalion began training in Engineering duties making it a Pioneer Battalion.
On November 1st the battalion was transported to Talavera Barracks, Aldershot and for the next two months underwent field engineering exercisers and weapon training with assistance from the Royal Engineers. During November notice was given that the battalion would proceed overseas in the New Year.
Morale was high when the battalion was transported across the Channel to France, they arrived at Cherbourg and moved to St. Remy du Plain byt train. Four days later they again moved to Boisleug, five mile south of Arras.
February saw no action but time was spent making camouflage nets for the ammunition dumps at Ecouest and Mory. Sightseeing trips were arranged for the men in Arras and Vimy Ridge for a break in the work.
March 4th ‘C’ Coy. was moved to Roeux and ‘D’ Coy. to Quiery to work on the roads. On the 8th March all the battalion were ordered to Quiery. On the last day of March all the battalion entrained for Metz to join the British Brigade (144 Inf. Bde.) on the Saar, very close to the Maginot Line where they came under mortar fire. The first shots fired by the battalion were on the first day of April.
May was a fateful month for the 7th Battalion when the battalion took over as the Pioneer Battalion to the 51st (Highland Division). They were now in the front line and the ‘Phoney War’ was about to end and the battalion had casualties with the Germans concentrating artillery on their positions.
On the 22nd May they were ordered to withdraw from the Maginot Line to Rouen to assist in holding the enemy in the North to make it possible to withdraw British Troops. The y arrive at Rouen 27th to find it deserted as it had been evacuated a few hours before.
They were then ordered to the front again on the 29th May, not as pioneers but infantry with the 51st but they were short of Bren guns and anti-tank rifles.
The 51st were now the last battalion in France apart from those cut off at Dunkirk but their orders were to hold the line at the Somme, in the area of Abbeville.
On the 3rd June the Dunkirk evacuation was completed and the 51st were ordered to attack Abbeville which was now in enemy hands, to strengthen the line of defence.
Percy lost hi life in the fierce fighting which took place in and around Abbeville or in the withdrawal to the port area.
1940/08/06 - WO 417/15, Casualty List No.274. Missing
1941/02/20 - WO 417/22, Casualty List No. 443. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 274 as Missing. Now reported as Killed in Action
Died
11th June 1940
France and Belgium Campaign, 1939/40
Loved Ones
Son of Harry and Sophia Bix of Flitcham, Norfolk
Memorial
Column 43.
Dunkirk Memorial
Information
Ian Bix
‘The Royal Norfolk Regiment 1919 to 1951’ by P.K. Kemp
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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