Name
William John Prior
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/08/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4/7063
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Benskin's Brewery Memorial, Watford, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Not on the Albury memorials
Pre War
Son of the late Alexander and Hannah (nee SMITH) PRIOR.
His parents married 15 April 1876 at St Mary’s, Albury, Herts. Hannah died 1885 in the Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, district aged 35, and was buried 19 September at St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford. Alexander remarried 11 April 1887 at St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford, to Mary Ann PRIOR. He died 1909 aged 59; Mary died 1928 aged 90; both in the Bishop’s Stortford district.
William was born 1878 in Albury, Herts, and baptised 15 September 1878 at St Mary’s, Albury. He resided in Bishop’s Stortford.
On the 1881 Census, aged 2 he lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 12 he still lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his father, step-mother and seven siblings. On the 1901 Census, a house painter aged 22, he still lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his father, step-mother and two siblings. In 1911 his father had died and he was living with his stepmother (Mary Ann Prior) and sibling Clara at Providence Cottage, Rye Street, Bishop's Stortford and working as a Cellar Labourer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and served in the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He arrived in France in on 11 October 1915.
The 6th Bedfordshires were at Bazentin-le-Petit on 6 August 1916, an area which had recently been captured from the Germans and was subject to several counter attacks. He was killed in action, and his body was not recovered for burial.
He enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, William’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
A £9 war gratuity was divided between his sister in law Rose Ellen £6 and Joseph Dixon £3. His pay owing was divided between his brothers Harry £7 7s 11d and Ernest £3 4s 0d.
N.B. Some records have mis-transcribed the surname Prior as Prion. Brother to Harry George Prior who died on 23 October 1917 and is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Both brothers are named on the Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Brenda Palmer, Jonty Wild
