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Percy Yates was born near Ipswich where his father work on a farm in Peak Crossing. Percy was the third of ten children, he lived with his mother, Wilhelmina and Samuel Yates. He later worked as a farm labourer with his father.
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Dr E. E. Brown, acting local recruiting officer examined 3 volunteers. Two were rejected as unfit, but Percy Yates was accepted
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Percy Yates was 19 years 3 months when he enlisted himself in the army at Brisbane.
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Percy embarked from Brisbane on board HMAT A49 Seang Choon and headed to Plymouth, England.
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Percy arrived at Plymouth, England and proceeded on the same day to 12th Battalion training.
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The 47th Battalion fought in the First Battle of Bullecourt, this began in March.
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Percy embarked from Folkestone, Kent for France and was taken strength of the 47th Battalion.
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After he was wounded he lay in the snow for two days before the Germans found him. He had a bad wound to the leg and shrapnel in his arm also. Percy was then taken to the Dülmen POW camp.
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Percy chose a German doctor to perform surgery on his severe wounds. What Percy did not know at the time was that this doctor was the top surgeon in the world at the time and had been trained in England prior to the war. He operated and saved his leg. He was also told that an English doctor would have amputated the leg. Percy had a hole in his leg that I could put my fist into, and still had shrapnel in it until he died.
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Samuel and Wilhelmina were sent a telegram stating that Percy was M.I.A. since April 6th.
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On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I came to an end following the signing of an armistice between the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance that called for a ceasefire effective at 11 a.m.– it was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/nov-11-1918-world-war-i-ends/ -
While Percy was living in the Dülmen POW camp he was treated well. He sometimes helped out in the theatre holding down patients during surgery.
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Percy was Patriated to England.
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Mr and Mrs Yates had received cable that Cpl. JF Yates and Pte. Percy Yates(their sons) had met and were on leave together in Scotland.
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Percy returned to Australia after WWI.
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A newspaper stated: "paid the supreme sacrifice ... then welcomed the two returned men, Pte P Yates and Trooper C H Young, and presented the district's medal to each ..."
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Percy moved to Maroochydore from Peaking Crossing. He lived on the Sunshine Coast for the remainder of his life. He tried his hand in various occupations: labourer sawmiller, car driver, farmer.
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Percy married Janet Bailey at St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Esk.
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Percy and Janet were very involved with the Maroochy RSL with them being foundation members of the sub-branch and Women's Auxiliary.
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