Percy Henry Wells was born in Melton, Suffolk, in 1885, the youngest son of Harry and Alice (née Cole). In 1891, the family lived in Potash House on Woods Lane and Harry was working as a domestic coachman. By 1901, Percy was still living with his parents and working as a golf caddy. Ten years after that and Percy had left home, taking a position as a chauffeur in the household of Frederick Reynard on his estate, Sunderlandwick, in East Yorkshire.

Percy was the cousin of Frederick and Caleb Wells who both grew up on The Street in Melton. Frederick was killed during the war and is remembered on Woodbridge War Memorial.

On 27th August 1915, Percy was in Coventry, where he enlisted in the Army Service Corps as a driver. At that time, however, he joined under the false name of Percy Henry Wills. Just over two weeks later, Percy was on his way to Rouen in France, having boarded the SS Atlanta at Southampton. He was attached to the 12th Motor Ambulance Convoy.

In September 1916, Percy admitted to having enlisted under a false name. He made a statement before the Battalion Commandant, Captain Anderson, formally changing his name back to Percy Henry Wells.

On 4th October the following year, Percy found himself in front of a disciplinary board where he was found guilty of:

“disobedience of convoy orders, when leaving a hospital yard, driving a car at excessive and dangerous speed”

He was fined one day’s pay.

Percy continued to serve with the 12th Motor Ambulance Convoy until the end of the war and was demobilised on 8th August 1919. For his war service, Percy received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.