Pte Percy John Clark, 2872, 5th London Regiment (London Rifles), died in the Military Hospital, Le Tréport, France, on July 7th, 1916, from wounds received on July 1st, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He had been in the fighting line for two or three months.
Born in Surrey in 1895, he was the son of Mr John Clark, of 243 Dunstable Road, Luton, who was formerly manager of the Luton Labour Exchange but had since moved to take up important munition work at Woolwich Arsenal.
Before he joined the Army in October 1915, Percy had been employed for about four years in the export department of hat manufacturers Messrs Vyse, Sons and Co in Bute Street, Luton. Both of his sisters also worked at Vyse's.