Colour Sergeant Percy William Hewgill enrolled in E Company Queen’s Own Rifles on 6 October, 1876. He took part in the response to the Bellville Riots in January of 1877 and earned his Corporal’s certificate and was promoted to Corporal that same year. In 1878 he was promoted to Sergeant and by 1881 he was appointed as Colour Sergeant to E Company. In 1885 he took part in quelling the Northwest Campaign. On 23 May 1887 he is appointed Acting Sergeant Major and is discharged later that year on 19 Oct. He subsequently enrolled in A Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Kingston, Ontario where he rose to the rank of Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant before retiring in 1919 with 42 years of service.

Timeline of Service:

• 1876-77, listed as Pte, E Company (Coy), Nominal Roll (NR);
• 1877, Jan, (Bellville Riots), Listed as Pte, E Coy, NR;
• 1877, 27 July, granted Corporal’s Certificate, Regimental Orders (RO’s);
• 1877, 15 August, promoted Corporal, RO’s;
• 1877, 10 October, listed as E Coy best shot, RO’s;
• 1877, Nov, listed as Cpl, E Coy, NR;
• 1877-78 listed as Cpl, E Coy, NR;
• 1878-79 listed as Sgt, E Coy, NR;
• 1879-80 listed as Sgt, E Coy, NR;
• 1880-81 listed as Sgt, E Coy, NR;
• 1881-82 listed as Color-Sergeant (Col-Sgt) to E Coy, NR;
• 1882-83 listed as Col-Sgt to E Coy, NR;
• 1885, listed as Col-Sgt part of the NW Campaign, Public Archives Canada;
• 1886-87 Annual Drill listed as Col-Sgt to E Coy, NR;
• 1887 23 May, appointed Acting Sergeant Major;
• 1887, 18 Oct – discharged from QOR;
• 1887, 31 Oct – enrolled, Gunner, A Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Kingston, Ontario;
• 1889, 11 May – promoted Corporal;
• 1890, 3 May – promoted Sergeant;
• 1898, 1 July – promoted Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant;
• 1918, 22 June – Taken on strength Canadian Expeditionary Force, served in Canada only;
• 1919, 30 June – discharged;
• 1927, 30 May – death attributable to service.

For more information see the catalog page on the QOR Museum’s online catalog page here.