Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Anzac Spirt Research Project (Walter Thomas Prideaux) By Tayla
Walter Thomas Prideaux was a son, a husband, a father and a grandfather. One of his greatest titles was Sergeant Walter Thomas Prideaux serving in the 2/7 Field Regiment in the Australian army. For a man who lived a full life to the age of 89 years his story is one that shows the strength and courage he had to survive battles.
Walter was born in Port Adelaide in the Lefeure hospital on the 27th January 1917. He was the second child born to his parents John Prideaux and Margareta Gonzales. His parents had a total of nine children. Their names were John, Keith, Betty, Stan, Barbara, Daphne, Joan and he had a brother that was never talked about. He grew up in Port Adelaide, South Australia. He schooled at Lefevre in Semaphore. (Grandmother Elaine) (Figure 1 Walter Thomas Prideaux)
Walter was an adventures child and always showed courage that followed him into his adult hood. Walter had a love for fishing and football. Before leaving for the war Walter worked at the woolshed located at Port Adelaide. He has worked as a labourer as a young man. He worked long day and very hard for very little money. (Grandmother Elaine)
On the 26th February 1941 Walter was enlisted into the Australian army. He joined the Australian army because the war was beginning so Walter and his brother john chose to enlist to fight for their country it was a decision that many men at the time choose. On the 20th of May the troupe was sworn in at wavevillie and was sent to camp at Woodside. (Grandmother Elaine) (VWMA)
Before heading oversea Walter was sent to Queensland, he spent months away from his family training. Part of that training concluded learning to shoot and battle on the front line in the war. As soon as his training was complete, he was sent overseas to find in world war 2. (Figure 2 Training in woodside)
The 2/7 Field Regiment was an artillery regiment that was deployed to North Africa to fight battles on the front line. There first battle was around Tobruk in the early 1941 and when on to fight in 1942 in Syria and Egypt. (2/7 field regiment wiki
In 1943 in February Walter returned home with his troupe. He had a brief time home in which he married Edna Pritchard before leaving in April to return to Queensland for further training. The gunners spent 2 years before the regiment went back to war. Walter regiment fought their final war until January 1946 when the last men were returned home, and the war had ended. It was said during this last battle his regiment shot 37000 bullets. (Elaine)
On the 9th November 1945 Walter had been sent home and was discharged from the Army. Walter returned home with no injuries. After returning home Walter returned to his job at the woolshed. Edna and Walter bought a home in Ethelton. The home was a small cottage that was the place were he and Edna were to begin their life together. H (Figure three Training in Queensland)
In 1945 Edna fell pregnant with her and Walter first child. This was his first daughter who they named Kaye Elizabeth Prideaux. Kaye was the first of 4 daughters to be born to Walter. Marilyn, Janis and Elaine were born in the coming years after he return from war. When Walter returned home, he never left his war day behind. (Elaine)
Walter became involved in the RSL and become a member at Ethelton. He enjoys racing pigeons and playing golf. He was proud to have bought a home and had a love of cars. He owned four cars in his life, Austin, Holden Station wagon, Toyota Corolla and a Ford Sedan. It was in 1969 that Walter life changed dramatically. His Wife Edna fell sick and passed away at the age of 55. At that time Walter retired and looked after his girls. His youngest daughter Elaine was 16 years old at the time. (Elaine)
Walter was a proud Port Adelaide football supporter and spent many weekends in his later years watching the game with his son in law and grandson. (Elaine) (Figure four Walter and mates)
In 1989 Walter took the bravest journey in his life. Walter was declared legally blind. His journey in later life living blind was a part of his life where he showed courage. He lived alone at Seaton in his second home he bought in his life. He cooked and shopped and still saw his old war mates at the local RSL every day. He was a lover still of birds and retired to caring for a pet budgie. Until 2001 when Walter sadly passed away, he Marched proudly every year in the city of Adelaide Anzac Parade. (Family)
In 2001 at the age 89 Walter passed away surround by his daughters. He will always be remembered by his four daughters and 10 grandchildren.
Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2/7th_Field_Regiment_(Australia)
http://artillerywa.org.au/2_/index.html
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/597912
http://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=674874&c=WW2
Information from my grandma about her father (main source)
Information from family
Appendices
Figure One: Na, Nd copy of photograph of Walter Thomas Prideaux.
Figure Two: Na, Nd copy of photograph of Walter Thomas Prideaux training in Woodside, South Australia.
Figure Three: Na, Nd copy of photograph of Walter Thomas Prideaux training in Queensland.
Figure Four: Na, Nd copy of photograph of H.Laver, W.Prideaux, A.Mooney, E.Wakters, C.Lamshed, C.Freeman, R.Martin
Part B (500 words):
Walter was one of the most courageous people that I know. His story is one that shows courage and mateship. Walters life showed courage from a young age to the day that he sadly passed away.
Examples of this is include when he was a young man and he left behind his family to go join the Australian army. Walter new that this was never going to be a short journey that he would be away for years. This shows courage because he was willing to leave his family to fight for our country. Walter continued to show courage by fighting on the front line in the war. Walter never knew when he enlisted that he would take a post on the front line here he had to show courage to shoot and to have bullets shot at him. Walter showed courage when he returned home from war to start a life after what he had see and been apart of.
Later in life after Walter and Edna had had 4 daughters Edna sadly fell ill. Walter showed courage again by looking after Edna through her illness until she sadly passed away at a young age. It took courage for Walter to support his 4 daughters with the youngest only being 16 years old.
In 1989 Walter was declared legally blind. The strength and courage Walter showed t olive the next eleven year independently showed everybody that new him he was courageous and brave. He lived a life where he continued to cook, clean and still live a very social life which brings me to his second characteristics, mateship.
Walter showed mateship from when he was a young child playing in the yards to the day that he sadly passed away.
Examples of this is was when Walter joined the RSL. This shows mateship because this was a place were Walter was able to make new friends and share their stories of what their experiences where like in the war. When Walter was declared legally blind, he was surrounded by people that showed love and support.
A big event in Walters life was walking the Anzac Day parade in Adelaide. This was one of Walters favourite things to do. This shows mateship because he was support mates and he support mates. He shares his story and loved to here others story’s.
In Walters life he has showed so much. Has been through so many ups and down but has showed courage and has had support to get through these problems.