Main CPGW Record
Surname: JEEVES
Forename(s): Percy
Place of Birth: Earlsheaton, Yorkshire
Service No: 611
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion / Unit: 15th (Service) Battalion. (2nd Birmingham)
Division: 5th Division
Age: 28
Date of Death: 1916-07-22
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B.
CWGC Cemetery: ---
CWGC Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial(s): Not Listed (View Names Not Listed on a Local War Memorial)
Additional Information:
Percy Jeeves (born 5 March 1888) was the son of Edwin and Nancy Jeeves, née Garforth. Edwin was born at Ickleford, Hertfordshire and Nancy at Earlesheaton, Yorkshire.
1891 Ripponden, Yorkshire Census: Spring Street - Percy Jeeves, aged 3 years, born Earlsheaton, Yorkshire, son of Edwin and Nancy Jeeves.
1901 Goole, Yorkshire Census: 72, Manuel Street - Percy J Geeves [sic], aged 13 years, born Earls Heaton, Yorkshire, son of Edwin and Nancy Geeves.
1911 Goole, Yorkshire Census: 72, Manuel Street - Percy Jeeves, aged 23 years, born Earlsheaton, Yorkshire, son of Edwin and Nancy Jeeves.
British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Pte Percy Jeeves, 611, R. War. R. Theatre of War first served in: (1) France. Date of entry therein: 21.11.15. K. in A. Correspondence: Mr. E. Jeeves makes appn for 1914-15 Star due to his late son, 30.8.20. Address: No 1a, Back Craven St. off North Rd. Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Yorks.
British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Pte Percy Jeeves, 611, 15th Bn R. War. R. K. in A. 22.7.16.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Pte Percy Jeeves, 15/611, 15th (S) Bn R. War. Rgt. Date and Place of Death: 22.7.16 in action. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Father and grantee - Edwin. £15 9s. 4d.
UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: card(s) exist for Percy. Date and cause of death: 22/23.7.14 [sic]. Killed by a German shell. Name(s) on card(s): Father: Mr. Edwin Jeeves. Address: 1a, Back Craven Street, North Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury.
The informal title of the 15th (Service) Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment (2nd Birmingham) was the 2nd Birmingham Pals.
Percy is commemorated on the Goole War Memorial.
The author P.G. Wodehouse, in his stories and novels, named one of his fictional characters 'Reginald Jeeves' - the valet of Bertie Wooster. He was named after Percy Jeeves whom Wodehouse had seen play in a cricket match before the Great War.
See also: 'The Real Jeeves: The Cricketer Who Gave His Life for His Country and His Name to a Legend' by Brian Halford (2013).
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
JEEVES, Percy, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, formerly professional for Hawes Cricket Club 1910, killed in action in France July 23, 1916.
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Private Percy JEEVES
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 5th Division
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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
Percy Jeeves wearing his Warwickshire County Cricket Club cap
Source: Unknown
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
04 August 1916
JEEVES – July 23, killed in action in France, Private Percy Jeeves, formerly professional to Hawes Cricket Club.
04 August 1916
HAWES – FORMER CRICKET PROFESSIONAL KILLED
News was received on Sunday morning by Mr. H.A. Crallan, that Pte. Percy Jeeves, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, had been killed by a shell on Sunday the 23rd. Jeeves, who was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Jeeves, of Goole, was engaged by the Hawes Cricket Club as professional in 1910, this being his first entry into professional rank. In that season he scored 205 runs in 15 innings, average 15.10. He was also very successful with the ball, taking 73 wickets for 5.91 runs apiece. In 1911 his engagement was renewed, and in that season he scored 536 runs with an average of 35, and took 51 wickets for seven runs each. He scored centuries for Hawes against Constable Burton and Yorkshire Clergy; also playing for Bedale he scored 100 not out against York Trinity and 90 not out against Boldon. He was twice tried with the Yorkshire Colts, and later, through the instrumentality of Mr. Crallan, Hawes, he obtained a professional engagement with the Warwickshire County Club. When he had qualified he was played for the first time with Warwickshire against the Australians and scored a notable success with the ball. From that time his progress was rapid and uninterrupted. He played on four occasions against his native county Yorkshire, and proved disastrous to his native county. Four years ago Mr. P. F. Warner said that Jeeves was a certainty for the next team to visit Australia. He was one of the finest specimens of the clean-living young cricketers that ever donned flannels – a true sportsman through and through, with a heart too big for defeat and a temperament too free from conceit for success to spoil.
He volunteered immediately the war broke out and had been in France about nine months. Too fearless of danger to ever spare himself he has died as such gallant souls do die on the altar of an unselfish and pure patriotism. Cricketers throughout the entire district, stretching from Sedbergh to Hawes and from Hawes to Bedale, will sincerely mourn the death of such a whole-hearted sportsman.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
04 August 1916
WELL-KNOWN HAWES CRICKETER KILLED
The public of Hawes in general, and cricketers in particular, were sorry to hear that Pte. Percy Jeeves, of Goole, had been killed on Sunday week by being struck with a German shell. Jeeves was the well-known Warwickshire cricketer, who, after playing for Goole club as an amateur, was for two seasons professional with the Hawes club. Locally he was very popular and held in the highest esteem, and his prowess both as a bowler, batsman and fielder soon spread. After playing twice with the Yorkshire Colts, he obtained a professional engagement with Warwickshire. Before his qualifying period was up he was introduced into the first eleven against the Australians, and in one innings took several wickets at a low cost. In the next two seasons and before the war he did very well for Warwickshire as a bowler and occasionally as a batsman. He played four times against his native county, and twice brought off good bowling performances. He was a fast bowler, and some of his deliveries were served up at an astonishing speed.
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