Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Percy Henwood Renfrey was born around January 1884 in Norwood, South Australia to William and Mary. It is not certain if Percy was enrolled at school however he took up the vocation of a Motor Mechanic and Driver. On the 8th of April 1911, Percy married Mary Ann (Molly) Matthew from Mitcham, South Australia. Soon after, they would start their family of six children; Ethel May Matthew (1911), William Keith (1912), John Collins (Jack) (1914), George Henwood (1916), Ethelbert Luxmore (1919) and Violet Ruby (1922).

Prior to the war, Percy was arrested for ‘unlawful possession of fowls’ in 1915 and fined. In 1916, Percy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) and proceeded to the 2nd Depot to begin training. Located locally at Mitcham, Percy was soon promoted to temporary Corporal and underwent further training at the Musketry Schools at Cheltenham and N.C.O. training. Before embarking for overseas on the ‘Afric’, Percy had secured his promotion as Corporal on the 1st October 1916 and assigned to the 10th Battalion, 22nd Reinforcement.

Upon disembarkation in England, Percy was demoted to Private and re-promoted to Corporal a month later in February 1917. Shortly after, during escort duty of a prisoner, Percy allowed the prisoner to escape through dereliction of duty. As a result, Percy lost his promotion and was made a Private once more.

Percy was then sent to the Lewis Gun School in England. His record notes he was ‘Very Good’ (Distinguished). This impressive outcome saw Percy transferred to the Machine Gun Company (M.G.C.), promoted to Lance Corporal and then overseas to France on the 11th of October 1917. In France, Percy was Taken on Strength (T.O.S.) on the 23rd of October 1917, to the 23rd Machine Gun Company.

Shortly after arriving in France, Percy was admitted to the Queen Mary Military Hospital, Bradford, England, for an abscess. He would remain here for over a month until February 1918. During his time in hospital, Percy committed the offence of Absent Without Leave (A.W.L.) for approximately five hours. This result in a reprimand from the Major on site.

After his time in hospital, Percy was never able to return to full duty and after serving in Headquarters and Depots, was returned to Australia on the 23rd September 1918. Upon arriving in Adelaide, Percy was Invalided and added to the medical list. This would have allowed Percy to receive the medical treatment he needed. His discharge date is the 9th August 1919.

After the war, Percy returned to his Wife and children. Moving to Barmera in the Riverland, they established a business growing fruit and vines. Soon, Percy and Molly would have two more children, giving them six under ten years.

In 1923, tragedy would strike the Renfrey family when Molly died suddenly (Tetanus). She was only 33 years old. Leaving Percy with six young children, the local Barmera community rallied around the family and provided support, including looking after the children and running a working bee where 25 people helped prune and tie Percy’s vines.

Life would eventually get back on track, and Percy would go on to buy a new Rugby De Luxe 6 Cylinder car and start selling his fruit in Adelaide. It was on a trip to Adelaide in 1929 that his truck rolled, and he and his other driver were injured. In 1931, Percy was again arrested with an offence, ‘Failure to comply with a maintenance order re John Percival Renfrey’. This is hardly unsurprising given the immense difficulty Percy had been faced with the loss of his Wife, Molly. Shortly after, the Warrant for this was withdrawn.

In 1941, Percy was dealt another blow. His child, Dig (a Son), was killed in an accident. The family continued to memorialise him a year later.

By the 1950’s, Percy was contributing the life of the Barmera community, donating prize money to the local Flower and Photography Show. Passing away in 1966, aged 83 years, Percy was laid to rest in his now hometown of Barmera. And whilst his beloved Molly is buried in Adelaide, Percy lies with his children.