Great post. The early phase of his life seems a lot clearer now. Great stuff. Wondered if you point me in the direction of his Service Records? I notice you have his Medal Roll on there but can't locate his Service Records in the National Archives. I have those of Toplis detective, Edwin Woodhall and executed mutineer Jesse Short but not those of Percy. A BBC historian seems to think they either haven't survived or are still in the hands of the MOD. Julian Putakowski says that 'papers released by the Director of Public Prosecutions confirm Percy Toplis's war service took him overseas' but I have no idea where these papers are and what they are. Did they survive the war? I notice they write about his desertion and murder on his medal roll - which is unusual as this is the kind of information usually found in the service records. By the way, I came across an interview with his family in the press and they say he took part in a local theatre production of 'Poor Little Johnny'. Apparently they asked him to join the company full time.