Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Frank Prior
Service Number: 2703
Place of Birth: Walkerville
Date of Birth: 3 November 1892
Place of Enlistment: Morphettville
Date of Enlistment: 2 September 1914
Age at Enlistment: 21 years 9 months
Next of Kin: Mother – Maria Prior / Julia
via Eudunda and friend
J. N. Harvey / Freeling
Occupation: Stoker and Blacksmith: apprenticed to L. Noack of Freeling.
Religion: Methodist
Rank: Lance Corporal 32nd Battalion
Frank was the son of Eliza Prior. Shortly after leaving Melbourne on HMAT A2
Geelong on 17 September 1914, Frank suffered from measles, pneumonia and
enepyema and had to receive treatment at Crumpsall Hospital in England. In
May 1915 he was sent to England on the Letitia for treatment for pleurisy. In
October 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal while fighting in France.
On 25 September 1917 Frank suffered a severe gunshot wound to his right
foot that required treatment at the Special General Hospital at Bristol in
England. The wound led to Frank being sent home to Australia on Llanstephan
Castle on 20 February on 20 February 1918 and discharged as medically unfit
on 1 May.
85
Frank married Frieda Both at Freeling on 15 May 1920. He died on 16
September 1979, aged 86 and was buried at Cheltenham Cemetery.1.
1. Dahlenburg Family History Pg 94.
There are two World War One soldiers named Frank Prior with both having a
definite connection with Freeling. The second had service number 664, he
was single and resided in Freeling at the time of his enlistment on 12
September 1914. Frank listed his next of kin as Miss M. Fritsche of Freeling
and his occupation as that of a Stoker.
Frank was a Private with the 12th Battalion, F Company. His unit embarked
from Hobart on board Transport A2 Geelong on 20 October 1914. The author
could find no other service details for Frank Prior