The Prestons

Grandparents

Percy Preston (jnr) b. 1913 Bungay, Suffolk m. 1945 d. 1966 Norfolk Regiment (RAMC)/Dust Collector	Lilian Humphries b. 1920 London St. Giles m. 1945 d. 1983 Shop Assistant/Leading Hand in Factory
CHILDREN Denise: Sandra: Malcolm: Raymond

Percy Douglas Edward Preston (junior)

Percy Preston was born 29 September 1913 in Nethergate Street in Bungay, county Suffolk.
Percy was better known to his family and friends as "Pat".
Percy enlisted with the Norfolk Regiment in 1931. The Norfolk Regiment was given the title 'Royal' in 1935.
From 1933 - 1938 Percy served in Dacca, Bangladesh India.
On 1 December 1939 Percy was granted War Substantive Rank of Corporal within the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).
Percy was captured by the German Army with his Norfolk Regiment troops at Dunkirk (during the mass evacuation in June 1940) and they were taken to Stalag VIIIB Concentration Camp in Lamsdorf.
Percy was a Prisoner of War for over three years. For more details about Percy's internment and general information see the War-Time Memories Project website http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/
On 25 October 1943 Percy was repatriated back to England. Upon transfer to the Royal Army Medical Corps three months later, Percy was posted to the 62 Home Ambulance Train in Epsom, co. Surrey.
After the war, Percy worked as a Lorry Driver for a local Timber Merchant company and later, as a Dust Collector for the Bungay Urban District Council.
On the day my mother Denise was born, Percy broke his arm. Bungay was severely hit by snow-storms and icy conditions that day and Percy slipped on an iced-over pond in the garden!

Lilian Katie Humphries

Lilian Humphries was born 26 November 1920 in Bloomsbury Square, in London. Today the houses of Bloomsbury Square are heritage listed.
Lilian was known to her nieces and nephews as "Auntie Lily". To most of her friends she was "Lil".
Lilian spent her formative years living in Bloomsbury before moving to Leigh-on-Sea in county Essex. In the early 1930s the family moved once again, this time to Sutton, county Surrey.
During WWII Lilian joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). Due to ill-health, Lilian was forced to leave her posting and was later re-assigned to clean Ambulance Trains in Epsom, co. Surrey. It was this job which led her to meet her future husband Percy Preston.
During the 1950s Lilian worked at a Chicken Factory in Flixton, Bungay : She retired as Leading Hand.
In 1962 Lilian and Percy bought "Alfo's Café" in Cross Street, Bungay. Today it is known as "Buttercross Tearooms".
Lilian was widowed in 1966. In 1968 she married widower Alfred James Sampson, a farmer/bricklayer from Mettingham, county Suffolk. Alfred, known affectionately as "Buster", was the son of James Sampson and Alice, formerly Trett.
In 1978 Lilian and Alfred emigrated to Western Australia. Both had family already living there.
Lilian was particularly fond of watching the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament on TV. She wouldn't answer the telephone nor talk to anyone if her favourite player Bjorn Borg was playing!

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