Jump to content
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

CPL. George Pryer, 11423, MM. 1st King's Liverpool Regt.


2li

Recommended Posts

Hello I am trying to find out about a soldier off the King's Liverpool Regt. who won the MM. 

I have found nothing to confirm this only one card which states MM. his medal card has no mention off the MM.

Any help much appriciated Philip

Pryer, George (11423).jpg

Pryer, George.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the record on Ancestry if you susbcribe

UK, British Army Recipients of the Military Medal, 1914-1920 - Ancestry.co.uk

Name: George Pryer
Regimental Number: 11423
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool) Regiment
Battalion: 1st Battalion
Rank: Corporal
Medals: Military Medal
Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is gazette entry

Page 9004 | Supplement 29749, 12 September 1916 | London Gazette | The Gazette

the header on page 8997

War Office, 14th September, 1916. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the undermentioned: —

Link to comment
Share on other sites

War diary 1st Bn. KLR (1916): https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14052881   NB Pages for May 1916 are missing!

They were at Vimy Ridge in early June 1916. Diary entry for 24th June 1916 mentions MMs, but not Pryer (TNA): 

These men were listed in the LG on 10 Aug 1916: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29701/supplement/7889

image.png.69ae9fa01ab7095c642bdfb7798ac54d.png

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see he was reported missing in the papers of Sept 1916, subsequently confirmed PoW. You will find him in the ICRC database.

Was it same event as MM?? Probably not.

Charlie 

Eg R51749 and PA6374, the latter showing capture, wounded, 8/8/16 Guillemont with D Company.

Edited by charlie962
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Charlie, If he was reported missing in the papers in Sept 1916 it would have happened c.6 weeks before, in July?  I think his MM was for May - the missing month of the WD.

Although his was gazetted later than the June MMs, it was a retrospective gazette. The MMs listed in June may have been for this action on 1st June 1916:

image.png.9ffa81cca3a3d1488c6f4d1fc469c5ce.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some later medal awards - 17 Sept. 1916

image.png.e496f9fad865b20590325b517531d3d6.png

6 Oct 1916:

image.png.71bd1c4df2fda056d6a28626a70bf66b.png

8 Nov 1916:

image.png.752aaba3dda006e3e0d1887fe9eed812.png

Certificates & medals 6th & 9th Dec 1916:

image.png.e5ccb7864322fce959bef1d8e5dd5b60.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

was reported missing in the papers in Sept 1916 it would have happened c.6 weeks before, in July?

Ivor

I've edited my prev post to add date of capture 8/8/16 at Guillemont.

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, charlie962 said:

I've edited my prev post to add date of capture 8/8/16 at Guillemont.

Great Charlie, so he was a PoW from 8 August 1916 right through until 1919?

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few bits to add:-

The ICRC record is a bit jumbled, Pryor, J.G ?

From Anc

310977521_Screenshot2022-07-0117_28_29.png.439bfe7c8715bebd8f79d9f1e6539f48.png

 

There is a near service record, Pte #11421 Doyle enlisted Liverpool 25th Aug 1914

Went to France 8th Dec 1915

 

The only Pryer in Liverpool in 1914 is:-

Name:Mary Pryer

Residence Year:1913-1914

Street Address:22 Cadmus Street

Residence Place:Lancashire, England

Electoral District:Liverpool, Everton

 

Dave

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem there is that George Pryer went to France before Doyle even enlisted (Ancestry 1914 star roll & MIC). George Pryer was a pre-WW1 soldier:

Is there an age on his PoW records? Would he have been with the KLR on the 1911 census? The 1st Bn. served in south Africa, Burma & India pre WW1.

image.png.42bbb38a45801fc6da0ffe337daf99a9.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re Charlie's discovery that George Pryer was captured near Guillemont on the 8th August - the war diary has a three page account of this action - end records:

image.png.8edb536f1adfc7b77102420f03e6ad5c.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are many other 1st KLR MMs in the 14/09/1916 LG - 19 at least - these must have been for a major action:

Sjt. Arthur William Sissons 9437 has the schedule no. 32216 (3rd, late 1st Bn.) KIA 26 March 1918

Pte. (L/Cpl.) William Orr 10320 has the schedule no. 32217 (Prisoner of War)

Sjt. Patrick Gaffney 8624 has the schedule no. 32219

Pte. George Hall 28080 has the schedule no. 32221

Cpl. C. Greaves 9503 has the schedule no. 32222 (Killed 15 Nov 1916)

Sjt. John Critchley 11020 has the schedule no. 32223

L/Sjt Frederick Stephens 9599 has the schedule no. 32226 ('missing' on MIC)

Pte. (L/Cpl.) Harry Pipe 11614 has the schedule no. before Pryer -  32229 (killed 15 Nov 1916)

Cpl. George Pryer 11423 has the schedule no. 32230

Sjt. William T Howard 11723 has the schedule no. after Pryer - 32231

Cpl. Joseph Eastwood 11635 has the schedule no. 32234

image.png.d03d0a13b08ccd9f39161fe4358476ba.png

There are no important actions recorded during March-April 1916. The fact that the WD is missing for May 1916 seems significant!

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

an age on his PoW records?

Born 28/9/94 Rotherhythe, London. Nok mother 119 Selwood St.

He looks to have several wounds, head, shoulder and stomach.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

Born 28/9/94 Rotherhythe, London. Nok mother 119 Selwood St.

Thanks Charlie! Family tree on Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/164326204/person/322222567767/facts?_phsrc=qzF61&_phstart=successSource

121 Selwood St in 1911 - aged 16, printing machine operative for compositor.  Married a Belgian lady in 1919. Died 12 February 1945.

image.png.9fc21faedac49fca96fa9d5f466e652e.png

 

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Philip,

13 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

The DCMs listed on 24th June were in the LG on 27 July 1916

Those DCMs appear to have been awarded for actions on1st to 3rd June 1916.

image.png.27b02eb0c3a2de9ccfddbf0bb70d540b.png

image.png.fd0c969b672fb4e1a2600b1bc45281fc.png

image.png.054ea5d349e069d916abe632ddcb7da5.png

image.png.92639c54aba47e1451fa026c25f8f76f.png

Images sourced from the National Archives

12 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

The Capt. Roland Grimston Tudor who got a MC in June 1916 was in the LG 27 July 1916:

image.png.ff0a7a0785190eceaa982ef0860277d3.png

At the mo, I'm having a bit of a difficulty finding the annotated citation for that award.

Regards
Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

Pryer was a pre-WW1 soldier:

His age and entry date would fit with a Nov/Dec 1912 enlistment.

See near numbers Hunter 11448, and 11426 Ryan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, charlie962 said:

See near numbers Hunter 11448, and 11426 Ryan.

Thanks Charlie. Don't see them. but the enlistment date/age makes sense.

Bate & Williamson state that this gazette listed retrospective awards for March-May 1916, but there are so many to 1 Bn. in it!

1st Bn. suffered nearly 600 casualties in May 1915 (below) I notice the Dec 1915 WD is missing too, and much of the 1915 WD is extracts from the CO's personal diary.

image.png.2729ad661b98409687c638b12cd09c63.png

Edited by Ivor Anderson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, clk said:

At the mo, I'm having a bit of a difficulty finding the annotated citation for that award.

Thanks for the DCM's date confirmation Chris. Tudor's MC was obviously also for early June too, and unconnected to Pryor's MM.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

12 hours ago, clk said:

Hi, Philip,

Those DCMs appear to have been awarded for actions on1st to 3rd June 1916.

image.png.27b02eb0c3a2de9ccfddbf0bb70d540b.png

image.png.fd0c969b672fb4e1a2600b1bc45281fc.png

image.png.054ea5d349e069d916abe632ddcb7da5.png

image.png.92639c54aba47e1451fa026c25f8f76f.png

Images sourced from the National Archives

At the mo, I'm having a bit of a difficulty finding the annotated citation for that award.

Regards
Chris

1 hour ago, Ivor Anderson said:

Tudor's MC was obviously also for early June too, and unconnected to Pryor's MM.

Got it now! 

image.png.5f9ac46012e640ee270b6b55f47cd924.png
Image sourced from the National Archives

Regards
Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...