So Percy was killed, sadly, less than two months before the end of the war. It does turn out that Gledhill's letter is a little misleading. Often letters tried to soften the idea of a loved one's death by saying he was shot through the heart. But the 48th Highlanders Regimental history of the First World War says that Pte. Percy Slade was killed in the battle "Canal du Nor" as the battalion was entering the town of Marquion. The quote is:
"The battle had a lull and in the midst of it up the road from Sains-les-Marquion marched Headquarters details. They were in fours and believed that Marquion had fallen. Close by them came Battalion H.Q. They started to enter Marquion by the road and walked into the muzzle of a machine-gun that opened with a roar over the rim of a sand-bagged parapet. The scouts, signallers, runners and other details scattered for the doorways and the scant cover available. Lt. McKinnon now led a rush on the block and crammed into this moment were many gallant acts. Runner Duffy was killed as he tried to bomb, so was Pt. Percy Slade. Then they were over the barricade and into the town. At the same time along the edge of the village came the companies. With knees gouged and ripped, as they scrambled and tore legs and kilts free from the barbs, they fought over the wire and trenches, and gained the houses."
The town fell then with over 200 prisoners captured, more wounded, the rest fleeing out the back of the town. The time of Percy Slade's death would have been between 10:45 AM when the barrage on the town lifted and 1:30 PM when the town was fully captured. The date was 27 September 1918. So he died a hero, but it was not as romantic as the letter suggested. Percy was 21 at the time.
Obviously the letter from Gledhill was important to Grandpa. He kept it safe beside his own war medals and we still have it in the family today.
Final Notes
When Grandfather returned to England apparently family members didn't recognize him because he was tanned so dark. And he would have been a few years older than when he'd left. He returned to Canada shortly after the war.
My mother once asked Grandpa Slade what it was like being in the war and he answered, "I was everywhere that Jesus was but I couldn't find him anywhere." Though I don't know what his faith was, obviously fighting in the Holy Land had an important influence on it.
And that's the story of the Slades in Palestine. I want to thank all the family members who helped me compile this and also I must thank the Lincolnshire Life Museum for all of their help and for providing photographs.
Arthur Gregory Slade
March 2006
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