Percy Herbert Balch was born at South Hay which is a hamlet within the East Hampshire civil parish of Kingsley which lies approximately 4 miles west of Alton and had 12 siblings.

At fifteen and six-months Percy entered the Royal Navy Devonport Training Establishment of H.M.S. Impregnable as a Boy Second Class, his entry, like all boys entering the Royal Navy was conditional on having adequate physical height, weight, medical fitness, and evidence of being of 'good character'. His parents ‘Jesse and Emily’ would have had to sign a declaration that he would serve for a minimum period (usually 12 years). Impregnable with its motto ‘Difficulty Baffles Great Zeal’ specialised in gunnery and was one of three boy training establishments at the time where boys were schooled, trained and drilled in naval life, theory and practical seamanship, elementary education, physical exercise and dance.

Moored alongside the establishment were its three training ships the Ex: Powerful 1895, Ex: Andromeda 1897 and Ex: Caroline 1882 and these were where the boys practical training took place, at that time the officer commanding was Vice Admiral Rudolf Bentinck KCMG, CB RN with Captain Niel O’Neill RN in daily command of all Instructors and boys.

A typical weekday would start at 0530 with call the hands, 0545 Hands to wash & cocoa, 0615 fall in hands to clean ship, then at 0730 hands to physical drill, 0800 hands to breakfast, wash and into rig of day. 0845 clear up decks, 0900 divisions and classes, at 1200 hands to dinner, 1300 hands clear up deck, then hands to physical drill and classes till 1600 with the pipe hands to tea, at 1700 came the pipe for evening quarters, 1900 hands to supper, 2100 stand by hammocks, hand out, pipe down and finally lights out.

Once a week, every boy climbed the establishment mast and went over the button. Saturdays would be clean ship followed at 1000 with captain’s inspection then dinner at 1200 then make & mend and free time. Sundays would start at 0800 with prepare all rig and kit for divisions then at 1000 dressed in number two rig all boys muster for inspection by Divisional Officer and then by the Captain or Commander. At 1045 all boys muster for church service.

Percy achieved the rate of boy (first class) during his training and on graduating from Impregnable was sent to the boys training squadron in H.M.S. Iron Duke (3rd Battle Squadron Atlantic Fleet) flagship of Rear Admiral Roger Backhouse CB GCB RN under the command of Captain Charles Little CB RN to find his sea legs and gain sea training, every day at 0500 he'd be awoken by several Able Seamen walking through row upon row of heavily curved hammocks to the time honoured accompaniment of "Show a Leg! Show a Leg! Lash up and Stow!" Strenuously repeated and repeated, the squadron messed separate from men but were subject to ships routine, were allocated an action station and undertook duties, tasks and watches whenever and wherever.

From Iron Duke he was sent to the boys training squadron in H.M.S. Revenge (2nd Battle Squadron Atlantic Fleet) under the command of Captain Robert Hornell DSO RN. From Revenge he joined H.M.S. Nelson (1st Battle Squadron Atlantic Fleet) flagship of Vice Admiral Hubert Brand KCB GCB RN under the command of Captain Sidney Meyrick RN leaving later as an Able Seaman to join several establishments at Portsmouth before joining H.M.S. Hood (Battle Cruiser Squadron Atlantic Fleet) flagship of Rear Admiral Wilfred Tomkinson MVO RN under the command of Captain Julian Patterson RN in 1931 experiencing Portsmouth Navy Week and sadly the mutiny at Invergordon.

In 1932, Percy joined H.M.S. Royal Sovereign (1st Battle Squadron Mediterranean Fleet) under the command of Captain Kenelm Creighton MVO RN and while with her experienced the troubles of Palestine, Athens, Cyprus and admiralty fears for Malta during the Abyssinia Crisis. Royal Sovereign was a neat and exceptionally clean ship her home port was Valletta and her Riviera port was St Maxine a small French village by the sea were the crew experienced annual shore leave away from naval life at Malta.

For the 1935 Coronation Fleet Review he was ashore at H.M.S. Excellent (Fleet Gunnery School, Portsmouth) and it was there that Percy qualified as a Seaman Gunner before qualifying as a Range Taker (second class) a month later.

In 1937 he joined H.M.S. London (1st Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet) under the command of Captain Francis Goolden RN experiencing spells on Spanish Patrol, the Coronation Fleet Review, fleet exercises, regattas and shore leave.

In June 1939, aged 28, Percy re-joined H.M.S. Hood (Battle Cruiser Squadron Home Fleet) flagship of Rear Admiral William Whitworth CB RN under the command of Captain Irvine Glennie RN at Portsmouth as a Control Rating (second class) and experienced war service in her operating her large range finders in some capacity, Hood spent many days on patrol in the North Atlantic and on one or two occasions entered the Arctic Ocean.

Emily his mother received his medals which were: The War Medal, 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star and his detained pay of £4-0-4d.