Ernest Hammond Prior

Rank:

Sergeant

Regimental number:

11301

Unit at enlistment:

4th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Cemetery:

Scarborough Memorial Park Cemetery, Scarborough, Ontario

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Cheshire

Birth city:

Walton

Address at enlistment:

9 Elgin Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

9 Elgin Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Stove mounter

Employer:

Buck Stove Co.

Religious denominations:

Wesleyan

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX September 16, 1914

The Majority Are Satisfied – Brantford Boy Says There Are Only a Few Chronic Kickers in Camp at Valcartier

Col. “Sergt. Ernest Prior of the Dufferin Rifles Contingent now at Valcartier has written the following letter to his parents in the city.

September 1, 1914
Valcartier Camp

Just a few lines to let you know I am still OK. We are having fairly good weather here at present, but on Sunday and Monday it rained like a mischief. Sunday we were out to the review before the Duke, and when we got back, every man was soaked. We got between the blankets and there is no sickness through it as yet. We were also wet through on Monday when we went to the ranges and got caught in the rain. So far everybody is perfectly satisfied with the camp. With the exception of one or two who are always kicking. We take no notice of them. For they do not know what they are kicking about. There were two men from Massey-Harris down here the other day, and every man who had worked for that firm for one year received a cheque for $50, those who had been there for less than that time receiving a proportionate amount. Massey’s are not so bad after all.

Our socks and other stuff from Brantford have arrived today and we are very grateful to them for remembering us. You need not send any underwear down as we are receiving Government issues and that is all right. So far I have got a pair of boots, an overcoat, a serge, a pair of trousers, a cap, and a suit of underwear, besides that sent down from Brantford. In the letter I got a “housewife” and a pair of socks and also two pairs of socks from the government. I also got a shirt, so that I am all right so far as clothes go.

Tommy Lockyer is down as a cook and is doing fine. Mr. Towers has been transferred to our company and everybody is glad to have him.

Yours,
Ern.

BX November 10, 1914

Interesting Letters From Old Land – Members of Dufferin Rifles and Brant Dragoons Write Home Telling of Their Experiences at Salisbury Camp

Four interesting letters from today’s budget from the old land, giving various aspects of the war situation especially with regard to the Brantford boys in the First Canadian Contingent. The first two letters are from Lieut. Frederick W. Miller and Sergt. E. Prior of the Dufferin Rifles first active service company. The third is from Trooper Ralph Whitehead of the 25th Brant Dragoons, written while he was in the base hospital.

The second letter is from Sergt. E.H. Prior, G. Co., 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, Canadian Contingent, and reads as follows:

October 23, 1914

Dear Mother,

Arrived here all O.K. and in good health. Hope everybody at home is the same. We left the old boat last night about 6.30 and came on the train to Lavington and then we had to march about 12 miles after leaving the train at half past two in the morning. We arrived here about 6 o'clock this morning and believe me, we are all very tired, as after four weeks on board, we were all feeling pretty soft and not in trim for marching. It rained all day yesterday and the roads are pretty muddy and we were all up to the shoe tops in mud. It was fierce marching in the dark and believe me, it was dark but we arrived all safe and sound.

Well we are now in England and it looks great. We got a great sendoff from Devonport where we disembarked and got on the train, I think the whole population of the town turned out to see us off and everybody wanted to shake hands with us and gave matches, cigarettes, tobacco and chocolate to almost all the troops who were in line, and believe me, they had some job. They all wanted a souvenir of Canada, but could not all get one. I gave a lady a button with the word Canada on it and she thought she had got a fortune; she was so pleased with it. Well, we expect to stay here about two months, but of course we do not know; it may be two months, and it may be only two weeks. We were growling about being on the boat so long, but there was not one who would not have liked to be on board the old tub last night while we were on the march. I hear there has been a report in Canada that the Canadian contingent was attacked by German submarines and a lot of the boats were lost, but I am glad to say it was not so. I would have cabled across to you when I heard that, as I had shore leave for about three hours last Sunday, but Capt. Colquhoun said that both he and Col. Howard had cabled home, so I thought you would get to know that it was not true.

Everybody in our bunch is doing fine and look well, and they are all happy now that we have got on land and can see some sign of getting down to work to get in shape to go for the Kaiser if we are needed. I was through Raglan barracks in Devonport last Sunday. There is an awful crowd of soldiers there, including the regulars and Kitchener's army. It looks very funny to see Kitchener's army parading as some of them have uniforms and some have not. Some have civilian clothes and an army cap; some have army clothes and civilian cap. Please let me know if you have received any money yet, as I signed $20 a month over to you and you should have got some of it by now as it was dated from the time we arrived in Valcartier. We were in the naval dockyards yesterday and they are very busy at present, rushing the ships to completion and converting liners into cruisers.

Well, I guess this is all at present, so I will close hoping to hear from you soon, I remain,

Your affectionate son,
Ern.

BX May 14, 1915

His Wound Not Serious – Mrs. Prior Receives Good News From Her Son Who is in a French Hospital

Mrs. G. Prior, 9 Elgin Street, has received a letter from her son, Sergeant Ernest Prior, who left Brantford with the first contingent of Dufferin Rifles, and who was wounded in the recent fighting at Langemarck. He states that his wound is not serious, he having received only a slight cut in the face. The letter follows:

British Red Cross Hosp.,
Ward 19,
Netley, Hants

Dear Mother,

Just a few lines, hoping to find all at home in the best of health. You will see by the heading that I am in a hospital. Well, do not worry. I am not in very bad shape. In fact, I do not see why they sent me over to England at all, but I suppose it was to make room for the bad cases. I have got a little cut on my face, but I was very lucky that I did not get it worse. I think I will be out of dock in a week or so, but of course you may send my mail on to here, for when I leave it will be sent on to me.

Well, how is everything in Brantford at present. Hope everything is going well. I do not know whether Will has left Canada or not yet, but I suppose he will have left by this time and maybe he will be in England.

Am very glad I did not get it any worse than I did. Believe me, this is some war. I was talking to one of our fellows who was wounded just a few minutes before I was, and he said that he saw more fighting the few minutes we were at it, than he saw all the time he was in Africa. So you can have an idea what it is like.

Well, I will write more next time, as I want to get this away. My address is

No. 11305, Sergt. E.H. Prior,
British Red Cross Hospital,
War 19, Netley Hants

“Ern”

BX May 8, 1915

Still Another Brantford Boy was Wounded – Casualty List Contains the Name of Sergeant Prior, a Popular Young Man

Official notification of the wounding in the recent fighting in the Ypres district of Sergeant Ernest Hammond Prior, No. 11301, who left Brantford with the first contingent of the Dufferin Rifles under Captain M.A. Colquhoun, was received in the city yesterday afternoon, a telegram from the adjutant-general at Ottawa being received by Sergt. Prior’s mother, Mrs. G. Prior, who resides at 9 Elgin Street. No details concerning the condition of Sergt. Prior were included, the message merely making the announcement and promising further particulars as soon as received.

Sergeant Prior came to Canada from his birthplace, Bolton, Lancashire, England, nine years ago, and since then he has been actively connected with the 38th Dufferin Rifles, he being the Color-Sergeant of B. Company at the time of his enlistment. By trade he was a stove-mounter and was a valued and efficient employee of Buck’s Stove Works. He is 26 years of age and since his boyhood days has always maintained an interest in military work. He belonged to the Boys’ Brigade in his youth in the old country.

Sergeant Prior comes of real fighting stock and his mother declared this morning that when all the men had been wasted in this war she would be the first to take up arms to finish the fight. He has seven cousins in the trenches offering their services in the Empire’s defense and his brother, Pte. William Prior, is now with the second contingent in Toronto.

BX June 23, 1916

Sergeant Ernest Hammond Prior, officially reported wounded on June 16, left Brantford with the First Contingent, and was wounded at Langemarck April 22, 1915. He was promoted to C.S.M. of the Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe, but volunteered for service again with his old battalion, the “Mad Fourth.” He is again in the hospital with shrapnel wounds in the cheek and forehead.

BX April 13, 1917

Returned Veteran

Sergeant Ernest Hammond Prior slipped into the city last evening unannounced, not even his own family knowing that he was coming home. He left Brantford with the first contingent, having been a stove mounter at Bucks before enlistment. He was twice wounded, yet showing the scars, and because of the second wound, was invalided home.

BX May 9, 1916

To Help Seeding Work on Farm – Mrs. George Prior Promised Farmer to Help if Son Enlisted

In less than a week’s time a well known Brantford woman, Mrs. George Prior, 9 Elgin Street, will be ploughing and seeding on a farm in Brant County. Many sacrifices have been made during this all absorbing struggle, but it is doubtful if many can surpass the one Mrs. Prior is making.

Mrs. Prior has two sons and close to two dozen relatives now at the front. She herself, since war broke out, has been one of the best recruiters in the county, so it will readily be apparent that Canadian mothers are just as capable of sacrifice as the English women.

She believes in practicing what she preaches. Since the departure of her sons for overseas she has done excellent recruiting work throughout the county for the 125th Battalion and is now bending her energies towards filling the ranks of the 215th Battalion. It was only Saturday evening that she brought in two recruits from the county.

Last fall while recruiting throughout the county Mrs. Prior promised one farmer that if his son enlisted she would come out and help him out with his spring seeding, and it is now to fulfill this promise that she is going. She received word on Saturday that he could use her services and she leaves this afternoon.

One of Mrs. Prior’s sons, Sergt. Ernest Prior, who left with the first contingent, was wounded a year ago this month. Another son left with the second contingent.

BX April 2, 1948

Ernest Hammond Prior

Ernest H. Prior, former well-known citizens and war veteran, died Thursday night at his home, 128 Dewhurst Blvd., Toronto. Born in England, Mr. Prior came to Canada and Brantford 40 years ago. Prior to the First World War he was employed at the Buck Stove Works, and served in the Dufferin Rifles. He enlisted and served overseas with the 4th (Mad Fourth) Battalion. Following his discharge he took up residence in Toronto and has been employed in the Customs Office there for many years. He as active in Free Masonry, being a past master of Dentonia Lodge, Toronto. Surviving are his widow, Rose Franklin Prior; two sons, Franklin, Toronto, and John, London, England: three brothers, H.A. Prior, Sudbury, John H. and William W. Prior of this city, and three sisters, Mrs. George Swain, Toronto, and the Misses Anice and Lillian Prior, Brantford. Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.

BX April 3, 1948

Ernest Hammond Prior

The funeral of Ernest H. Prior, former well-known Brantford resident and veteran soldier who died at his home in Toronto Thursday evening, will be held Monday. Mr. Prior is resting at his home 128 Dewhurst Boulevard, Toronto, until Monday morning and then will be removed to the Trull Funeral Home, 1111 Danforth Avenue from where the funeral will be conducted. Interment will be in Scarborough Memorial Park.