Sue Carroll shares her family connection to World War I.

Roy Lyndon Piercey, a cousin of my Grandmother, enlisted as a private in the 5th Battalion and boarded the Orvieto on 21 August 1914. Roy was guard to Prince Franz Joseph Hohenzollern, the Kaiser’s nephew, from the captured German cruiser Emden.

Roy fought at Gallipoli and also saw fierce fighting at Cape Helles and was promoted to Corporal in May. He was transferred to the 7th Battalion and promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and later to a Lieutenant. He suffered Enteric fever several times. In January 1917 he was given the rank of ‘acting temporary Captain’ in Weymouth Camp where he prepared 1,500 men for transport. Roy fought in France through heavy fighting at Menin Road and Broodseinde Ridge, Ypres.

After further illness he was back fighting at the Somme and on the 9 of August was fighting at Lihons and then in the Herleville Woods attack where he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry on the 23rd of August 1918 at St. Martin’s wood. He then suffered Gas poisoning. His Captaincy was confirmed in November 1918.

He married in London and after discharge he returned to Wales where he became a successful business man. He and his wife had three children.