Percival Thomas William Muzzell was born on 5 April 1896 at 7 Harrow Road, Paddington, London, the fifth of the nine children of Thomas William Muzzell (1859-1919) and Mary Ann Sophia Muzzell née Owen (1861-1932). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1896 in the Paddington registration district. On 17 May 1896 he was baptised at St Mary's Church, Paddington Green, London, where the baptismal register confirms the family were living at 7 Harrow Road, Paddington and that his father was an undertaker.
In the 1901 census he was shown as a 5-year-old scholar living at 7 Harrow Road, Paddington, with his parents, five siblings: Arthur Edward Muzzell (1885-1969); Stanley John Herbert Muzzell (1891-1917); Dorothy Violet Muzzell (1892-1978); Hilda Gladys Muzzell (b.1897) and Harold Owen Muzzell (1899-1909), together with a female domestic servant. His father was still described as an undertaker and an elder sister, Mabel Constance Muzzell (1887-1964), was recorded as boarding at Haslemere School, Kings Road, Clapham, London.
He was shown as aged 14 years and 'at school' when his father completed his 1911 census return form. He was living in an 8 roomed property at 7 Harrow Road, Paddington, together with his parents and six siblings: Mabel Constance Muzzell - a florist; Stanley John Herbert Muzzell - a banker's clerk; Dorothy Violet Muzzell - a typist; Hilda Gladys Muzzell - at school; Marjorie Helena Gertrude Muzzell (1901-1936) - at school and Norman Montague Muzzell (1904-1987) - at school. His father described his own occupation as a funeral furnisher.
He enlisted as a Rifleman in the 12th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Rangers), service number 470559 and entered France on 6 February 1917. He was serving in their 2nd/12th Battalion when he was killed in action, aged 21 years, on 4 June 1917. His body was buried in Plot 1, Row H, Grave 10, in the Mory Abbey Military Cemetery, Rue de l'Abbaye, 62159 Mory, France.
His £12-10s-0d war gratuity was sent to his mother on 5 December 1919, but it was not until 6 April 1920 that she was sent his army effects totalling £4-7s-10d. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as MUZZELL.P.T.W. RFL. 12BATT.RANGERS.LON.REG. on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, Marylebone, London. He is also commemorated on the London WW1 Memorial 1914-1918 website, on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Live of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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