Captain Percy J. Belcher

Percy James Belcher was the son famous Colonel and North West Mounted Police veteran: Robert Belcher. By the time of the First World War, Belcher was a militia captain in Edmonton and a banker before the First World War. Commissioned into the 49th Battalion (E.R.) in early 1915, he was wounded by a sniper during the battalion’s first rotation in Flanders that October. Invalided to Canada, he rejoined the Canadian Expeditionary Force and later commanded a company of the 138th (Edmonton) Battalion overseas. His father was the battalion commander. Upon returning to England, Percy reverted his rank to that of a Lieutenant to rejoin the 49th Battalion (E.R.) at the front in France. He was killed later whilst leading “D” Company into the attack at Passchendaele in October 1917. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.