Pte Rothwell was a pre-war Territorial who served at Gallipoli with the 7th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers & most likely Egypt, to which he also served with the 9th & 2/10th Bn Manchester Regiment.
1914 – 15 Star, impressed named 2512 PTE P. ROTHWELL. LAN. FUS.; British Victory medal, impressed named 2512 PTE. P.ROTHWELL. LAN. FUS. Original period swing mounted but missing the British War Medal. The Star has been placed on the War Medal ribbon as per photographs. Comes with copies Medal Index Card, Medal rolls.
Private Percy Rothwell was serving with the 7th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers when the war broke out. His regimental number being 2512. As the unit was raised from Salford, Greater Manchester, it is highly probable that he was born/lived in the area. The men of the battalion volunteered for overseas service and subsequently landed in Egypt on the 25/9/1914. They relieved units of the regular army and undertook canal defence duties. The battalion embarked on SS Nile at Alexandria between 1 and 6 May 1915 for the Gallipoli Peninsula and disembarked at 'W' Beach at Cape Helles, where Allied troops had landed a few days earlier. The Lancashire Fusilier Brigade was the first part of the division to go into action, temporarily attached to the 29th Division for the Second Battle of Krithia on 6 May.
On the 27/12/1915, the battalion was withdrawn to Mudros and then to Egypt, landing at Alexandria on 15/1/1916. Its battle casualties for the Gallipoli campaign had been 7 officers and 242 other ranks, but the numbers hospitalised for sickness were considerably higher.
At some stage he was transferred to the 2/10th Manchester Regiment possibly due to sickness or wounds. He was given the new regimental number of 352884. This number was part of the block assigned to the 9th Bn on the re numbering of the Territorials in 1917. 350001- 375000 9 Manchester Regt. Both battalions served in France.
He survived the war and was demobilised on the 21/4/1919.
9th Battalion Manchester Regimen: 2 March 1917 landed Marseilles and proceeded to the Western Front. 19 February 1918: transferred to 198th Brigade in 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, absorbing 2/9th Bn and renamed as 9th Battalion. April 1918: reduced to cadre. 22 July 1918: transferred to 199th Brigade in same Division. Absorbed 13th Bn, newly arrived from Salonika, on 13 August 1918.
