Percy Herbert Balch (Aug. 24, 1910 - May 24, 1941) was born in Binstead, Hampshire, England to Jesse and Emily (Unknown) Balch. The one source indicates that Percy had two sisters and five brothers. At some point Percy joined the Royal Navy and ended up serving on the HMS Hood. The Hood was constructed in 1916 and saw service until its destruction, on May 24, 1941, in combat versus the German ship Bismark. It was at the Battle of the Denmark Strait that both the HMS Hood and Percy Herbert Balch would meet their demise.
"Less than 10 minutes after the British opened fire (at the Battle of Denmark Strait), a shell from Bismarck struck Hood near her aft ammunition magazines. Soon afterwards Hood exploded, and sank within three minutes with the loss of all but three of her crew. Prince of Wales continued to exchange fire with Bismarck but suffered serious malfunctions in her main armament as the battleship had not fully worked up after being completed in late March 1941. This, combined with the effects of the battle, caused her to break off the engagement. Bismarck, damaged but still very much operational, declined to chase Prince of Wales and instead headed for the Atlantic along with Prinz Eugen." Source: Wikipedia
Genealogy of Percy Herbert:
Father: Jesse Balch
Mother: Emily __
Family Members:
1. *2 Unknown Sisters
2. *5 Unknown Brothers
Wife: Unknown
Marriage: Unknown
Children:
1. Unknown
Sources:
HMS Hood Association: Rolls of Honour Memorials to Men Lost in the Sinking of Hood, 24th May 1941 [1]
