Captain Percy Dodd

Captain Percy Reed Dodd, 2nd Battalion Cameronians ( Scottish Rifles ). He was killed in action in France on 10th March 1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, aged 33. He was the son of John Dodd ( late Chief Constable of Perthshire and 78th Highlanders ) and the husband of Georgina Robertson-Ross. He was a regular soldier having been commissioned from the Royal Military Academy in 1901 and is buried in Brown’s Road Military Cemetery, Festubert, France. He commanded ” C ” Coy. and died at the head of his men in the first hour of the Battle. The Artillery had overshot the front German trenches and left the barbed wire and machine guns untouched. All the Officers were killed or wounded in the first hour of the attack. The survivors however with super human bravery managed to capture the first line of the defence. It is recorded that he fell with his sword in his hand. This Battle cost about 11,500 British casualties with a similar number for the Germans. 2nd Cameronian casualties were very high with 13 Officers and 144 Other Ranks killed and 9 Officers and 314 Other Ranks wounded. ( John Bayne has written an excellent book ” Morale  A Study of Men and Courage ” about this Battalion and its part in the Battle ). His Headstone is inscribed ” I Would Not Wish Him A Fairer Death”.  He was a Member of the Caledonian Club, London and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, St Andrews. The photographs were taken during the Battle.