Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Walter Prentice was born in Shudy Camps, Cambridgeshire, to parents William, a farm labourer and Susan.  By 1911, Walter was also recorded as a farm labourer. He had three older siblings who had all left home by 1911.

Walter enlisted in November 1914 and joined the 11^th (Service) Battalion (Cambridge), Suffolk Regiment.  Initially based at Cherry Hinton, the battalion moved to Ripon in June 1915.  In January 1916, the battalion landed at Boulogne. On 3 August 1916, Walter was severely wounded by gunshot wounds to his knee and chest received whilst engaged in fighting at the Somme and was repatriated to the UK where he spent six months undergoing medical treatment.

Despite the severity of his wounds, he recovered and was posted to the 15th Battalion Suffolk Regiment located at Alexandria, Egypt in February 1917.  In December 1917, Walter was hospitalised for a month with a septic arm.

The battalion left Alexandria and landed at Marseille on 7 May 1918, to return to fight in Europe.  Walter returned on leave to the UK for a fortnight in October 1918.  He was demobilised at Thetford in February 1919.  He was awarded a war pension but appealed the amount, complaining of shortness of breath and aching in left side of chest after eating.  He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory medals.

In the summer of 1920, he married Florence Brown, at Shudy Camps.  No children from this marriage have been identified.

In the 1939 register, Walter was living in Cuthbert Road, Birmingham and was listed as an aluminium foundry worker, such heavy work may suggest that Walter recovered sufficiently from his previous wounds.  His wife is listed as Annie, whether this is a second marriage or Florence using a second name, cannot be confirmed.

No further information has been found in relation to Walter.  Do you recognise this name – please get in touch if you can tell us more.