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| 17 Apr 2019 | |
| History & Politics |
Captain P. G. Egerton Sc (1908-10) was the only child of George and Beatriz Egerton, of Portman Square London. After leaving Tonbridge in 1910, he worked in the offices of the Canadian Pacific Railway in London and later, Liverpool. He enlisted in September 1914, two months after the outbreak of WW1, and received a commission to the Special Reserve of the Black Watch in November 1914. On his 21st birthday, 18 March 1915, Egerton went to France with the 2nd Battalion, and saw much fighting before being wounded in the head at Aubers in September 1915. His wound required him to spend one full year at home in recovery, before re-joining the 2nd Black Watch in Mesopotamia in 1917. During this time, he would visit Sierra Leone, Cape Town, Durban, Bombay, Basra, Samara, and Egypt. In March 1918, he was sent to Palestine and became attached to the 19th Battalion, London Regiment (St Pancras). A mere month later, a wound in his right knee began to turn septic, but as fighting was in prospect, Egerton was unwilling to go into hospital. On April 30th he was wounded whilst leading his men in an attack on a Turkish stronghold in Es Salt, in the Jordan Valley, and unfortunately, he was hit in the injured knee. He was admitted into hospital where every effort was made to save the leg, but amputation became necessary and, though he was subsequently reported as making good progress, he ultimately died in October, after nearly six months of suffering borne with the greatest patience and fortitude. A brother officer wrote that "he had a great reputation in the Black Watch as a brave and daring officer," and his men were devoted to him. To find out more about Tonbridge and The Great War, visit our online archives at: www.tonbridgeschoolheritage.co.uk Or, contact Archivist, Bev Matthews at: E: beverley.matthews@tonbridge-school.org |
