Medal Profile 001

Medal Profile 01

Able Seaman WM Price RNVR

Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division

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Personal Information

Royal Naval Division

Mersey Division

Drake Battlion

Medal Information

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Personal Information

Name

Walter Maurice Price

Unit

Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division RNVR

Comments

Date Died: Monday, 23 ^rd April 1917 aged 26.

Address: Son of George Richard and Margaret Price, 22 Marsh Lane, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Memorial: Arras Memorial, Pas De Calais, France.

The information about Walter Price shown above comes from his entry from the Commonwealth War graves Commission register. It is very basic and doesn't give much depth to this person. Further research has put a bit more flesh on the bones.
Walter Maurice Price, date of birth 29 ^th September 1891, enlisted for military service on 8 ^th September 1914. He was aged 22, his records show his occupation as a Barman and his address as 9 Rowson Street, New Brighton, Wallesey. He was a short man, 5' 4" tall with a chest measurement of 33 ½" , fair colouring with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Where ever he was posted from September 1914 is not listed but it was an active theatre of war as he was awarded the 1914-15 star.
Records state that on 9 ^th February 1915 he was on the nominal roll for Howe battalion 'C' company.
Following an equiry about his welfare from his next of kin, the officer commanding Howe battalion writes on 5 th April 1915 " Went to hospital 20 th February 1915 at Mudros (Moudhros). Employed at time as headquarters cook, problem with lack of teeth."

Problems with his dentures eventually leads to his return to the UK, Price has gone on the Gallipoli campaign but only got as far as Mudros, which is one of the staging posts, an island off Greece.
On 8 ^th September 1916 he is transferred from 2 nd Reserve battalion to 'A' Reserve battalion. On night of 21/22 nd November 1916 Price is transferred from 'A' Reserve to Drake battalion BEF.

He joins Drake on 12 ^th February 1917 from the base depot. He goes to hospital again on 13 ^th February, no reason is given but it may be the dentures.

The next we hear about Price is that he reported missing on 23 ^th April 1917, this on 19 ^th May 1917. The next of kin are informed but takes until 4 ^th December before his death is recorded as assumed "killed in action". His death was accepted for official purposes in November.

From this information we can see that Price's fighting service was only a couple of months. The Royal Naval Division was heavily engaged in fighting in the Arras region and Price was one of the many who fell during the actions. The probable action which Price was involved in is known as 2 ^nd Scarpe.

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Royal Naval Division

INFANTRY BATTALIONS

Royal Navy: Howe, Anson, Hood, Nelson, Drake, Collingwood, Benbow and Hawke

Royal Marines: Chatham, Deal, Portsmouth, Plymouth and later the 1st and 2nd RMLI

Army: 7th Royal Fusiliers, 4th Bedfords, 1st HAC, 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 1/28th Londons (Artists Rifles), 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, 1/4th King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 14th Worcesters (Pioneers)

ROYAL ARTILLERY

4th Field Brigade of the RFA

ROYAL ENGINEERS

247th, 248th and 249th Field Companies

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

Brief history of the Royal Naval Division

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Mersey Division

History relating to Mersey Division

1903 Admiral Ernest Rice appointed Admiral Commanding Reserves - 21 May

Naval Forces Act passed by Parliament establishing the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve - 30 June

1904 Mersey Division RNVR established at Liverpool

1911 Mersey Division move to HMS EAGLE, a 74 gun frigate at Brunswick Dock

A brief history of HMS Eaglet

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Drake Battalion

Formed in 1914, Drake was one of the eight battalions which made up the two Royal Naval Brigades. A third brigade was formed and designated as a marine brigade, this consisted of four battalions, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham and Deal.

Drake Battalion is listed as 1^st Battalion, 1 ^st Royal Naval Brigade.

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Pictures

Drake Battalion Cap Badge

Medal Trio - 1914-15 Star, War medal & Victory medal

Soldier from Hawke Battalion

.Recruiting Poster 1915