John William PRIDMORE

Army Service Corps 293396                              

John William Samuel Pridmore was the fourth child of Samuel and Clara, born on 27^th August 1887.  At the time the family were living in a tiny thatched cottage on Church Row, which was built in line with Church End and Stone Cottages behind the churchyard.  John’s father died at the young age of 56 years in 1908, which meant that, as John was still at home, he had to look after his mother.  John worked as a general labourer and we know from two different sources (Attestation papers and 1921 census) that he worked at Apethorpe Estate.

John was married to Louise Emily White in Cranfield on 11^th May, just before the outbreak of war in 1914.  They came to live in Woodnewton, in what we know as Church End Cottage, just a few yards from where his mother and sister were living, but by the time the 1921 census was taken, his mother had moved into live with John and his family.

With a baby on the way, I am sure that John was very pleased that he did not comply with the clear specifications of what was required from a man to enlist to serve his country.  As men had to be over 5ft 6” tall (John was 5ft 4⅟2”) and had a girth of at least 35” and his was only 33”, he could not apply.  However, by May of 1915, with recruitment dropping, the Government decided to bring the specification for the height of men down to 5ft 3” and raised the age limit to 40 years.  John attested at Apethorpe on 3^rd December 1915.

However, he wasn’t mobilized until the following May and then posted on the 1^st June to the 29^th (Works) Battalion, Middlesex Infantry Regiment, under regimental number 30076 as a driver, by that date he had a wife and three children to leave behind.

From his military papers we know that he spent the whole of the campaign at ‘home’, starting off with training at a camp formed at Mill Hill which opened on 29 June 1916.  Later that year on 31^st December he was transferred to Army Services Corp, 663 Company, Park Royal and then to 502 Company at Codford on 10^th January 1917.  John would stay there for just over the year before being transferred again to 503 Company at Larkhill.  He stayed at Larkhill until his demobilisation and transferred to Army Reserve in September 1919. The Army Service Corps (ASC) was a very important section within the Army as it operated the transport systems that delivered ammunition, food and equipment to the Front Line.

After the war, John returned to Woodnewton and to his employment at Apethorpe Estate.  He worked for Lord Brassey until he retired in 1956, and was awarded a long service (48) years) medal.  The photograph shows the Queen Mother presenting John with the medal at East of England Showground.