Category Archives: Alfred Sutton School War Memorial

Edwin James Prior

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Other Regiments, Passchendaele

Edwin James Prior
Private 41177
9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment

Prior EJE photo

Edwin James Prior died 15th April 1918 aged 19 years.  He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing panels 34 to 35 and 162A.

Edwin Prior was the brother of Arthur James Prior of 65, Foxhill Road, Reading.  Information on the caption of a photograph printed in Berkshire and the War, gives details of him belonging to the South Staffordshire Regiment and attached to the Lincoln Regiment.  An address of 10, High Street, Belston, Staffordshire is given.  The caption goes  on to state that he was twice wounded and was late of Caversham.

More details about the German Spring Offensive around Ypres have been given in the biography of Reginald Newport.   Edwin Prior, although in a different regiment would have experienced similar difficulties.  By 11th April Armentieres had been evacuated by the British and Haig issued this famous speech to his men “…..Every position must be held to the last man: there must be no retirement.  With our backs to the wall….each one of us must fight to the end.”

On the 15th April, the day that Edwin Prior died, the bloodily won ridge of Passchendaele was evacuated and the British divisions withdrew to a line around Ypres which approximated to that of 1915.  The British were below full complement and the new men, replacing those lost in Third Ypres, were young and incompletely trained, although they fought bravely. (Martin Matrix Evans – Passchendaele)  The different details about regimental information for Edwin Prior may be due to the fact that he was taken into different units to make up the numbers at various times.

Horace Lacey Pinker

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Trinitiy Congregational Church War Memorial

Horace Lacey Pinker
Private 203760
1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment

Pinker HL grave

Private Horace Lacey Pinker was the son of John and Jane Pinker of Reading.  He was killed 5th April 1917, aged 22.  The 1901 census information indicates that his father was a master stone mason. The family were living at 69,London Road and it was from there that John Pinker ran his business. There were then three children with Horace being the middle child, older brother was called Stanley and the younger Harold. By 1911 Jane was a widow, still living at the same address. Horace is misrecorded as Florence and the census return also bears other mistakes. There is no occupation given for Horace and it is assumed that he is either still at school (he was then aged 15) or had no job.

At the time of his death actions were taking place between Cambrai and St. Quentin.  

Private Pinker would have experienced the events which follow in the weeks leading up to his death.   (Details are taken from Petre – History of the Royal Berkshire Regiment)

During misty weather in February 1917 the German army made its secret withdrawal to the Hindenburg line, masked by continuous shelling of the British positions.  Allied Commanders had not fully realised the extent of the withdrawal but partial and curious retreats resulted in more raiding parties to collect prisoners and information. In March as the retreat became obvious and the 48th Division was in the forefront of the chase and open warfare once more took place.  The 1st/4th’s reached Peronne on 20th March.  The mudscape of the battlefields was now far behind and for the first time in many months the men were in open and green countryside where signs of spring breaking could be seen.  The battalion engaged with the enemy again only as they approached the well defended Hindenburg line.

 At the beginning of April the battalion was involved in fighting around Ephey and the village of Ronssoy where a heated battle took place and several men were also killed when the British barrage fell on them by mistake.  It may be that Private Pinker was killed during this fighting.  However, the spirits of the 1st/4th were high.  After this battle the battalion moved back to Hamel for a rest, returning on 13th April to Ronssoy.

 Private Pinker was buried at Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery, the Somme. Grave location I. A. 13.

Percy George Franklin & Harry Franklin

Abbey Baptist Church, Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Commemorated name/s, Graves, Navy

Percy George Franklin
Gunner RMA/12600
H. M. S. “Vanguard”

Division 3

Franklin PG photo Franklin H photo

Percy Franklin was the son of John and Florence May Franklin. The 1901 census records John as a worker in a lumber yard. By 1911 he is the foreman. Both census records give the name as ‘Sir’, it isnot thought that this is a title as the picture above refers to Mr S J Franklin. During 1901 and 1911 the family lived at 20. St. Bartholomews Rd. By the 1911 census John has been married for two years to Milly Kate Franklin and they have one son aged 1 year. It is therefore assumed that Florence had died, possibly in child birth. There are four other children between the ages of 14 and 3 years in addition to Percy and Harry. Percy’s occupation is given as engineers clerk and Harry as a bank clerk. The family had moved to 70. Hamilton Road by the time that Harry was notified as wounded.  The local papers record that Percy was a keen footballer, he played for the King’s Road Chapel team and whilst serving on the liner Queen Elizabeth he played football for the ship’s team. 

 In 1914 he was on board the “Aboukir” when it was torpedoed.  During the week prior to the sinking he wrote to his parents. “Last week we swept the North Sea across, together, with about five other ships and eighteen destroyer, right from Sheerness to Heligoland.  But, nothing happened, and we are still waiting our chance.  When the time comes I think we shall show up well and keep the English name.  But, till then keep watching and waiting”. 

 Percy survived the sinking only to be killed when there was an internal explosion in the “Vanguard” when the vessel was at Scapa Flow on 9 July 1917, of those on board at the time only three survived.  He was aged 23 and left a wife Caroline Mary Franklin, of 48, Widley Rd. North End, Portsmouth.  His name is commemorated upon the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. 

Harry Franklin, Percy’s older brother,  was wounded in the spine during the war and was in Hospital at No.1 War Hospital Reading when the death of Percy was confirmed.  Although Harry survived the war he died in 1930 at the age of 38.  Both Percy and Harry are commemorated on the headstone of their parent’s grave in Division 3, Reading Cemetery. Number 14859.

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