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Pte. John H. Price . British Army 7th Battalion Worcester Regiment
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Pte. John Price . British Army Royal Artillery from Rudheath, Cheshire John Price was captured in March 1940 and held as PoW number 1329 at Schubin Poland. After a short stay he was taken to Schockin Poland, this place was like a fort underground with no daylight.
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PO. Joseph Evans Price . Royal Navy HMS Nigeria My grandfather, Joseph Evans Price, served as a Petty Officer on HMS Nigeria during WW2. Sadly he passed away in 1992. When I was younger he told me about some of the operations the ship under took during the war.
I would be most interested in locating anybody that knew my grandfather or has any more information.
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Sgt. Laurie Noel Price . New Zealand Expeditionary Force 3rd Echelon 2nd New Zealand Division from Oakura, Taranaki, New Zealand I was about 16 years of age when my uncle, Laurie Price returned to New Zealand after the war. As far as I know this information is correct and is written from memory of conversations within the family. He was my mother's younger brother, one of four who went to the war. Luckily all returned, as did my brother.
Sgt. Laurie Price, was with the 3rd Echelon from New Zealand, was sent to Egypt. His next of kin was his mother, Charlotte Maude Price.
He was captured in Greece and shipped to Bari, Italy. In Italy he had surgery possibly an appendectomy? Then he was sent to Udine before being moved to Stalag 8A.
My uncle was one of the many men who walked across Germany. I understand he spent time at Bournemouth to recover before being shipped back to his home in New Zealand. He said very little about his experiences, except that his surgery was painful, the injection for the surgery didn't work, but the one they gave him afterwards behind the knee allowed him to pull hair out for years later without any pain. The prevalence of lice was mentioned and how his finger nails became V-shaped because it was better to stroke them away rather than scratch and break the skin. On the march across Germany, he and his mates found a cellar with potatoes, they boiled the first lot, dirt and all, the second lot they washed, and the third they peeled before eating them. Unfortunately, I do not know where he met up with the Allied forces. However, he did comment that the American POWs struggled more than most on the long march.
He was a very quiet man who never married and died approximately in the 1960-1970s.
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Pte. Leonard George Price . British Army Northamptonshire Regiment The Germans took us prisoner on the 28th of May 1940 at Ypres. One of our number was badly wounded and we had to carry him on a door which was the best stretcher we could find as the Germans had no medical equipment with them. We carried him for three miles through no-man's land past the German front line into their HQ where he was given medical attention. The Germans who captured us told us they had received no food for two days, and took our haversack rations, a tin of corned beef and biscuits.
After spending the night on a stone floor at the German HQ, we were taken with some other prisoners and marched for 10 to 20 miles per day through Belgium. The Belgians tried to bring us food and water but the German guards prevented us from receiving it. We had to live on the small ration the Germans provided - watery soup and one small loaf of bread among five men.
We were marched from dawn to dark, given our ration, and then we were locked in stables, pig sties or barns for the night. On reaching Holland we were packed into cattle trucks, 70 men in each truck, for a four-hour journey, then onto barges for the trip to Germany. A Red Cross boat came alongside, and a woman gave us food, and took names and addresses to notify our families back home (I was shown that same piece of paper when I arrived home five years later.) That meal was my last food for three days.
When we reached Mannheim in Germany we were given a small portion of black bread and a bit of sausage. After four hours we were piled into cattle trucks, with about 70 men crammed like sardines in each truck, and the doors bolted. The only daylight we saw for three days was what came through the ventilator. All our personal belongings had been taken from us, watches, rings, soap, towel and shaving kit. We were tired and dirty and worn out through travelling, marching and lack of food.
After a very trying journey we reached Thorn in Poland at about 3 am, all in a very bad condition and run down. We were issued with two blankets each, and told we would get "coffee" at 6.30 am - it turned out to be made with burnt barley and no milk. Our heads were shaved and our photos were taken, and we were given a number disc to keep with us at all times and show on demand.
I was sent on a small work party to labour on roads for about three weeks, then we were billeted on a farm. We worked for six days per week with Sunday off to wash and mend our clothes. We held our own Church service on the Sunday evening to pray for our loved ones at home.
Christmas 1940 I was sent back to the main camp at Marienburg, and I received my first letter from home, and my first Red Cross parcel. Life was pretty dull in the camp, rise at 6.30 am, get washed and clean our quarters, get our "coffee", and then wait until dinner-time dragged round. We considered ourselves lucky if we could get on a working party away from the camp, as civilians would give us a little extra food if and when the guards weren't watching too closely.
On the 25th of April 1941 I was moved from the big camp with a party of twelve men to work at a dairy. We were worked for 12 hours per day during the week and 18 hours at the weekend. The German guards searched our huts weekly for wireless sets, maps or anything else that might come in useful for escaping. They would pile everything in the middle of the room, pulling all the straw from our palliasses, but we managed to keep our wireless set well hidden under the floor-boards. It took us most of the night to tidy our quarters after these searches.
The Death March 1945
On the 23rd of January 1945 we were told to pack our kits as we were leaving for some unknown destination. I remember the morning very well as it was bitterly cold with about 30° of frost. Our breath froze on the lapels of our coats as we left the town of Marienburg. It was about 3 am and we were marched until dark with only a short break at midday. The only food we had was whatever we had managed to scrounge at the camp and bring with us.
That night we spent in an open field in the snow, with some of the fellows laying their coats on the ground and tried to sleep. In the morning one of the fellows was stiff with cold and frost bitten. We couldn't stir him at first, and had to warm him by rubbing him in the snow, and then running him around the field to get some circulation back into him. It was so bitterly cold that night one of the German guards died.
At daybreak we started marching again, carrying all our belongings with us. I started out with two suit-cases and two blankets. The most trying experience I ever had was the day we marched across an open and unprotected German air-field during a fierce blizzard. It was the middle of this winter, and we had about five miles of open ground to cross. I was wearing army battle-dress, two balaclavas, and had my two blankets wrapped around me. My legs were chapped for a week from the freezing wind.
Another day, during our midday rest after marching all morning, some were having a bite to eat if they had saved any food from the previous day. One of our fellows was a bit slow on getting back in the ranks ready to start marching again, so one of the German guards drew his pistol and shot him. We lost more fellows who died on the way or fell ill and were left behind.
After a time the weather improved, and I began to get fed up with marching with the column, and managed to hang back without being noticed until they were ahead of me. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon so I called at a house and asked for some hot water to make tea. The people there asked me to come in and gave me the best meal I had tasted for a very long while. I continued at my own pace, walking about 15 miles each day, knocking on doors for hot water for tea and a bit of food, staying in whatever shelter I could find for the night.
One night as it was getting dark, I came to a small house, where I asked for hot water to make tea. I was asked to come into the kitchen, where I was given a good meal. They also gave me hot water to wash my feet and legs which by that stage were rather dirty. They also darned my socks and made me stay there for the night. They told me they were evacuees from Hamburg and had lost their home in the bombing. I spent the night on their couch with two blankets and had my first good night's sleep for weeks. These good people also gave me breakfast next morning and I was very sorry to leave them, reluctantly resuming my journey at about ten o'clock.
At the next village I was directed to the school and told to ask for the Burgermeister.
Private Leonard George Price who served in the Northamptonshire Regiment
(Here my father's notes end, with his story incomplete. However, unlike many of his comrades he survived his ordeal was repatriated to England at the end of the war. He met my mother and they married in 1948. In 1951 they emigrated to Australia.)
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Leonard George Price . British Army Northamptonshire Regiment My father, Leonard George Price of the Northamptonshire Regiment, was in Stalag XXB from 1941-45. I have found some group photos in his personal effects (he died in 1989).
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Pte. Louisa Edith Jenny Price . Auxiliary Territorial Service from Birkenhead (d.8th September 1943) Louisa Price was murdered on the evening of 8th of September 1943. She had been attending a dance organised by US Military Police at the Forest Glen Pavilion on The Wrekin, a beauty spot near Wellington in Shropshire. Sometime late that evening she was seen leaving the venue with a tall US serviceman. Her body was found the next day by quarry workers 200 yards from The Pavillion. She had been repeatedly struck on the head by rocks. There is also a suggestion that she was sexually assaulted. A sergeant, Michael Pihosh, from the United States Army was charged with the murder.
As was the practice during the war Pihosh was tried by an US Courts-Martial. On the 23rd November after 7 days of testimony he was found not guilty by a jury of 9 US Airforce personnel. The US authorities were satisfied of the innocence of Pihosh but unhappy with some of the evidence given by others. They pledged to continue there investigations, however, no further action was taken against anyone. Louisa has never had justice.
She came from Birkenhead and is buried in Bebington Cemetery.
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Marjorie Katherine "Mardie" Price MID. Auxiliary Territorial Service Canadian from Montreal, Quebec My mother, Marjorie Price was the daughter of General Charles Basil Price. She served the entire war with the ATS and was married in Aldershot Garrison Church, Aldershot, England in September 1942? to Arthur Allen (Tim) Hugman who was with the 17th Duke of York, Royal Canadian Hussars. She was married with full military colours which I gather was unusual at the time.
She was awarded quite highly and mentioned in dispatches for her life-saving efforts at the bombing of the Cafe de Paris in London. Her shoes hurt so she was escorted off the dance floor just as the bomb hit. I don't have much more information. She was a driver and mentioned several times how dark and frightening it was waiting all hours at night for her charge.
I would love to hear any more info on her.
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Fus. Norman Leslie Price . British Army 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from Belfast (d.5th July 1944) Norman Price was the son of Albert and Emily Price of 60 City Street, Belfast. He was wounded as the result of an air-burst artillery shell during the Battle for Monte Cassino on the evening or night of the 22nd/23rd of June 1944. Norman was taken to 65 British General Hospital, Naples, where he died of wounds on 5th of July 1944 aged 21.
He is interred at Naples War Cemetery.
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Norman Luther "Snowy" Price . Royal Navy HMS Aurora from Eastbourne, East Sussex
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PO Owen Beresford "Tommie" Price . Royal Navy Cumberland, Fishguard
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PO. Percival Thomas Price . Royal Navy HMS Pozarica from Lambeth, London Percy Price was my godfather and served on Pozarica for two years, including Convoy PQ17. His Naval career has also been documented in his IWM Sound Archive interviews.
He sadly passed away in 2007 and we miss him still. We remember him as a gentleman who had a long marriage to Margaret; a long career with London Transport after his RN service and as proud foster parents to several Barnados'children.
Percy's own recollections of Pozarica still make us think, especially his time serving on the Arctic Convoys, a quiet man sent with his crew into a form of Hades. He taught our family to sail, mainly at Wimbledon Park Lake and Lancing Sailing Club in Sussex, complete with RN terminology and colourful language as part of the whole experience. Percy's long-lost secret was that he possessed (and could play too) an old-fashioned One-man Band, with Bass drum, cymbals on his knees, harmonica and several other instruments. A Price family gathering was never a dull affair.
Percy helped his fellow Pozarica ship-mate Godfrey Winn with his post-War account of the whole situation, entitled PQ17 (written in the 1950s). We have a copy somewhere at home, with a haunting photo of Percy in the midst of a raging sea and sheets of ice on the heaving deck with icicles hanging from every part of the ship. God only knows how these brave men survived these situations, with the proverbial Swords of Damocles of the Luftwaffe and U-Boats to contend with as well as the savage weather.
He also served on HMS Hood between 1936-38, before his draft to other ships. My parents became Hood Association members for over 20 years. We admire the bravery of these men and the seeming mad sacrifice of over 3,000 sailors on both Hood and Bismarck during the Battle of the Denmark Strait in May 1942.
My father, Michael, read the eulogy for Percy at his funeral and was the most nervous man in the chapel. Everyone laughed at my father's recollections and I know that Mike wanted to give his old friend a proper send-off. He did just that! Thank you, Percy. You won't be forgotten easily, my friend.
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L/Cpl. Peter Price . British Army 5th Battalion, H.Q. Coy. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment from Widnes, Lancs (d.17th Dec 1943) Peter Price was my father's uncle and my great uncle. As far as I know, no other family members had been to the grave so about 15 years ago my father and I decided to go and visit the grave and lay a wreath. The grave was well looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Bari, Italy.
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Stkr. Raymond Price . Royal Navy HMS Grasshopper from Buckley, North Wales My father Raymond Price served in the Royal Navy. He was on HMS Victory between 9th of May 1942 till 6th of July 1942 again 29th of July 1942 till 23rd Oct 1942 as a stoker 2nd class, and HMS Duke 31st of March 1942 till 4th of May 1942. Also on HMS Tuttle 1st of Aug 1943 till 2nd of November 1943 as a stoker 1st class. HMS Grasshopper 3rd of November 1943 till 30th March 1944 I am trying to find out more about where these ships went and what part did they have in the war as my father never spoke about it
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RO Price . British Army RO Price served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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AB. Ronald Alfred Price . Royal Navy HMS Newcastle from Manchester Ronald Price was my father. He joined HMS Newcastle whilst in Plymouth, and sailed to the Mediterranean via Portland and Gibraltar.
There he was involved in a single trip into the Red Sea to Jeddah.
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RP Price . British Army RP Price served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Cpl. S. Price . Home Guard Signal Sect. Workington Btn.
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Stuart Henry Price . Royal Canadian Air Force I am seeking information about a Stuart Henry Price (or Stewart Henry Pryce), possibly Canadian or American. He may have been based at RAF Tilstock in WWII around 1944. I would appreciate your help.
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Trevor Glyn Price . British Army Royal Army Service Corps (d.17th June 1940) There is a family grave in Trevor Price's home village of Vaynor Churchyard, near Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire, South Wales. The inscription on the headstone reads: Trevor Glyn Price R.A.S.C. Killed in action June 17th 1940 Aged 21 years. Buried in L'Herbaudiere Cemetery, NoirMoutier, France.
Father: William Henrey Lloyd Price Died Jan 6th 1951 aged 68 years. Mother: Margaret Ann Price Died July 30th 1983 aged 97 years. Family Home: Ffynon Rosser Farm, Pontsarn, Merthyr Tydfil.
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W. W. Price . Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqd.
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Pte. William Henry Price . British Army Royal Army Service Corps from Walsall Rd., Great Wyrley, Staffordshire My late father, William Henry Price, born in Great Wyrley, Staffordshire served in the R.A.S.C as a driver from 1940 till demob in 1946. I am led to believe, after training in Dunhope, Dundee and Chippenham, Wilts he served in Italy at Casalbordino 20 miles south of Lanciano. He also spoke about Eygpt. Apart from half a dozen photos in my possesion I don't have much to go on. Sadly, my father died 1st January 1981 and his wife Dorothy (my Mother) passed away March 2011. Does anyone remember him or have any information?
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WO1 William "Lucky" Price DFC.. Royal Air Force 405 Squadron from Glasgow My brother Bill Price joined the RAF just before the outbreak of the war. He served initially as Ground Crew but applied for aircrew and joined the Desert Air Force as an Air Gunner, flying in U.S. made Baltimores. He flew 60 sorties across the desert and over Italy and was sent home to Glasgow on leave at the end of 1943.
After leave, he joined 405 (Vancouver) Squadron in the Pathfinder Force and flew a further 28 sorties until being stood down in early 1945. On the very next sortie his crew were lost over Germany. Bill was awarded the DFC. He survived the war and now lives in Canada.
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SPC. William James Price . Glamorgan Constabulary from Alexandre Road, Pontycymer, South Wales My grandfather William Price was a coal miner and also a special constable during WW2. His lapel badge shows he was with the Glamorgan Constabulary number 2782.
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Mech. William Arthur Price . U.S. Navy from West Newton, MA Bill Price served in Dunkeswell, England as an airplane mechanic and also worked in the photo lab.
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CPO Stkr. William James Price . Royal Navy HMS Pembroke from Dunkirk, Kent My grandfather, Bill Price joined HMS Pembroke at the age of 18 in 1920. He served on many ships during his navy career.
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Capt. William George Reginald Price . British Army Reconnaissance Corps from West Bromwich Reg Price served with the Reconnaissance Corps.
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Howard E. Prichard . United States Army Field Artillery Battalion from Marlton, PA In the mountains of Italy during World War II, U.S. troops fought with the help of pack mules. Howard E. Prichard had trained in the mountains of Colorado with a pack mule section of an Army field artillery battalion. He didn't need that training when his unit helped recapture the deserted Aleutian island of Kiska in 1943, but he did as his mules carried howitzer parts in the campaign from Rome to the River Arno in 1944. Besides caring for mules during combat in Italy, he worked as an Army translator in Germany in 1945, relying on his two years of high school language study.
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James Harold Prichard . Royal Navy HMS Royal Arthur from Ilford I don't have many details on my grandfather, James Prichard other than a few pictures. One is of him in the Class 228 at HMS Royal Arthur.
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John Stobo Prichard MC.. British Army 4th County of London Yeomanry from Mathern Lodge , Penylan Cardiff Copy of Airgraph Letter to Mrs J. Stobo Prichard, Mathern Lodge, Penylan, Cardiff. From Commanding Officer, 4th County of London Yeomanry, Major G.J. Kidston, M.C.
25th February, 1942
Dear Joan, Thank you so much for your kind letter of congratulations: mine was entirely undeserved, but Stobo’s was not. He is one of the very few doctors who has been decorated this war and no one deserves it more.
On December 28th he came up to me when we were being very heavily shelled, in a scout car, and asked for news of wounded which I gave him. The rest of the afternoon he spent tending wounded by jumping from tank to tank under fire. Next day without orders from me when he saw a tank catch fire and the crew bale out within 150 yards of 7 enemy tanks he went in with his little scout car under a barrage of fire and rescued them. I cannot tell you what a help he has been to me. I am only frightened that we shall lose him on a job soon, which will be one of the greatest losses the Regiment could have. My own pen is missing hence this ghastly scrawl.
Yours Sincerely
George Kidston
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