Name
Ernest Pryor
13 March 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/05/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
Y/1083
King's Royal Rifle Corps
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Welwyn Village Memorial, Welwyn, St Mary the Virgin Roll of Honour, Welwyn, Welwyn Scouts Memorial
Pre War
Ernest Pryor was born on 13 March 1895 the son of James and Elizabeth Pryor (nee Wheeler) and baptised on 2 June in St Mary's, Welwyn. He was one of six children although one had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 16 Mimram Road, Welwyn and his father was working as a Cowman and Milk Retailer.
Ernest attended Welwyn Evening School between 1907 and 1909.
The family remained at Mimram Road, Welwyn on the 1911 Census and Ernest was then working as a 'Farm Hand General'. He gave his occupation as Footman on enlistment.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted at Winchester on 30 August 1914 (some records indicate he enlisted at Guildford on 28 August) and joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a Rifleman and by March the following year was promoted to Corporal. Unfortunately, he was demoted to Rifleman in June after being found guilty of ‘breaking out of barracks when Orderly Corporal’.
On 23 July 1915 he joined the 2nd Battalion at Etaples, France, in the first wave of his Battalion’s reinforcement.
He was admitted to North Evington Military Hospital, Winchester, on 26 November 1915. The reason is not clearly stated on his service record but it is known he suffered from trench feet. He was granted furlough from 22 January to 31 January 1916 and then returned to the front.
Ernest was posted as missing on 11 May 1916 (later confirmed as killed in action) and a distressing letter sent to the family was reported in the press to the effect that he was posted as ‘missing and entombed’ after an engagement on May 11.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His brother William served in the 1/4th Essex Regiment and survived the war.
His mother received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £2 8s. No pension appears to have been payable.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Brenda Palmer
Paul Jiggens, Welwyn and District History Society - www.welwynww1.co.uk,
