Lt Walter Erskine Prior

The only son of Rev Clement E. Prior, Rector of Upton Warren, Worcs, Walter Prior was educated at Bromsgrove School, where he was known as a reserved, quiet boy with a strong sense of responsibility and resolution, The school magazine records that he was not an outstanding cricketer, but did well in his examinations. He became a House Monitor, a responsible role. In July 1939 Walter came second in the Masters’ Reading Prize Competition, an important and challenging event in the school calendar, requiring confidence and the ability to read both poetry and prose with clarity and sensitivity.

Walter Prior was not yet eighteen when the Second World War broke out. Academically successful, interested in English Literature, and a member of the Bromsgrove School Officer Training Corps, Walter Prior left school in December 1939. After a brief spell at the Bank of England, he joined the Royal Navy at the earliest opportunity, serving with the Light Coastal Forces before being commissioned and sent to the Faroes.

Lt. Prior then volunteered for mine disposal duties, and joined H.M.S. Vernon, Havant, whose task was to protect the civilian population from the hazards posed by the many mines which were expected to be washed up on the South Coast of England. Having sent his men to safety, Lt. Prior was attempting to secure a British coastal protection mine which had become detached from its moorings and drifted to the beach at Aldwick, but it exploded. Lt. Prior died very shortly afterwards of his injuries.

The Bognor Regis Post reported on the inquest on Lt. Prior’s death on 29 December 1945. “The victims are believed to be the first casualties in the battle to beat the peril of the mines which threaten the South Coast.”

In June, 1948, the Bognor Observer and Bognor Post both reported on the service of dedication and unveiling of a memorial tablet at “Strange Gardens” at the end of Dark Lane, Aldwick, in the presence of the Bishop of Worcester, the Vicar of Pagham (Rev C.B.Fowler), the Vicar of Aldwick (Rev C.H.Mosse), and the Chairman and Members of Bognor Regis Urban District Council, (Councillor L.E.Walwin and Councillors E.M.Bates, A.J. Moore, H.R.Pennicott, E.T.Bryant, F.D.Allison, A.G.I. Anderson, Col. F.C.Goddard, F.T.Kennedy, Mrs Locke,and Mrs Reynolds) the Clerk to the Council, Mr R.W.J. Hill, and the Town Surveyor, Mr Evans. Commander Kimton, of H.M.S. Vernon and a bugler, A.B. Helm, also took part.

The procession was led by members of the West Sussex Police Force, and Pagham choir.

Lt. Prior’s father spoke of his son’s character, “He was brave, humane and a most lovable and endearing friend to all who knew him,” and of his own thankfulness in having had such a son.

Mr Prior thanked Mr and Mrs William Webber, of Strange Gardens, on whose wall the tablet was placed, and friends and family who had shown him such sympathetic kindness and help. He also mentioned Councillor Walwin, Chairman of Bognor Regis Urban District Council, “ who had given public clarity to this service which was originally to have been a private and personal affair”.

The Bishop of Worcester addressed the congregation, saying, “We are gathered together in glad and grateful remembrance of Walter Erskine Prior, who gave his life here, on the foreshore of Aldwick, in the service of his king and country”, and referred to “the great company of men and women who gave their lives that you and I might be able to be here in peace and safety on these shores of our beloved land.”

Lt. Prior is buried by the door of St Michael’s Church, Upton Warren, with his gravestone bearing the following inscription:

“In memory of a brave and most lovable and only son Lieut. Walter Erskine Prior R.N.V.R aged 23 years. Killed 22nd December 1945 on the foreshore of Bognor Regis while dismantling a mine.

In November 2005 the web site host was contacted by Mrs Jane Ramage. Her husband is the Chairman of Aldwick Parish Council and as 22nd December 2005 was the 60th Anniversary of Lt Erskine Prior's death they were organising a formal memorial service inviting local dignatries and a representative of the Royal Navy. Could we help - to be honest Mrs Ramage knew more about Lt Prior than I did. However, Peter Fielden the editor of Bromsgrove School's magazine was helpful as was Carol Poole in lending a photocopy of a newspaper article.

On the 22nd December 2005 a Remembrance Service was held where the memorial for Lt Erskine Prior is mounted on a wall.

Nick Gibb M.P., Rev R Whelan
Cllr Dr J C Ramage (Chairman Aldwick P.C.)
Cllr T Squires (Chairman Arun D.C.)

Cdr J Lavery MVO, RN
Places the wreath

Very recently Noel Cashford MBE rang Annie asking for details about Walter Erskine Prior; in addition to writing books about mine and bomb disposal Noel actually knew Walter Erskine Prior, he worked in bomb disposal on the south coast at the ame time. On the day Walter was killed Noel was travelling back to his home in Tunbridge Wells. When he got there it was as if a ghost had walked into his parent's house, there had been an announcement on the radio saying that a bomb disposal officer had been killed and friends and neighbours, assuming it was Noel, had been sending condolences to to his family.

Noel Cashford is in the process of writing his third book and very kindly has sent the following extract:-

Stress caused many deep-seated problems for members of the armed forces for which correct medical attention was denied. Sometimes because senior officers preferred to ignore a problem many sufferers kept their trouble to themselves, and some refused help.

Sub. Lt. Prior who was 23 year old came to me one day and told me he was unhappy being a Bomb & Mine Disposal officer. I was sympathetic and as we were at the time on a course at HMS Vernon where Commander Ouvry RN was I suggested that he made an appointment and put his views to him.

We all knew that Cdr. Ouvry was a very considerate man and would listen to any personal problems. The Lieutenant Prior couldn’t consider it. “What would his relatives think of him?” Most of these relatives had served in the Navy in WWI achieving some high ranks. He vowed he would cope as best he could. He spoke at times as though his destiny was already written. His unhappiness was obvious.

Late in 1945 he was sent from Portsmouth to deal with a floating mine off Bognor Regis pier.

Meanwhile I also was very busy rendering safe mines that had washed ashore between Eastbourne and North Foreland, six had exploded before I got to them. Fortunately they had landed on isolated beaches and therefore damage to civilian property was minimal.

When Lt. Prior arrived the mine was almost ashore and was moving with the strong waves and wind towards the beach at Aldwick just west of Bognor Regis. From a safe distance watchers saw Lt. Prior wade towards the mine. He was almost within reach of it when it exploded. 600 hundred pounds of explosives blew great holes in the beach severely injuring Lt. Prior and sadly later he died. His assistant, Wireman Banks was on the beach and was severely injured.

It was a written rule that no effort was to be made to render safe or secure a mine that was still afloat. Was deep-seated stress the cause of this officer’s disregard for this rule?

A memorial plate was fixed to a garden wall at ‘Strange Gardens’ at the end of Dark Lane, Aldwick in 1948. On the 22^nd December 2005 the 60^th anniversary a wreath laying service was held at Dark Lane. Lt Walter Erkine Prior is buried at St Michaels, Upton Warren and his grave is by the Church door.

After many years of fruitless searching the information came (through various channels) from The Upton Warren Parish web site organised by Ann Haywood to whom we are eternally grateful, to make this story complete we would now like to trace the facts about Wireman Banks.

This somewhat grainy image shows Rev Erskine Prior after officiating at a wedding.

The image is one of many on display at the History Weekend 8th and 9th July 2006