Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alfred Percival Prior, known as Nippy had a passion for the sea, born in 1903 he first went off to sea at age 16 as a "Boy" on the 15th August 1919 serving on the Ganges 11 and the Queen Elizabeth Excellent, Victory 1
UK Record details
Name Alfred Percival Prior
Gender Male
Birth Date 14 Jan. 1903
Birth Place Folkestone, Kent
First Service Date 15 Aug. 1919
First Ship Served On Ganges II
Last Service Date 19 Apr. 1927
Last Ship Served On Sydney
Service Number J95863
Transferring to Royal Australian Navy on the 6th May 1924 his new home was the Melbourne, then the Sydney until 1927 when he first served on land at Cerberus, before he went back to London to complete his transfer to the RAN His journey with RAN is recorded on his NAA record with service aboard The Canberra 1928-1929 The Australia 1929-1931, Cerberus 1931 1934, back between the Australia, the Canberra and Cerberus before boarding the Sydney in 25th January 1938 until 5 Feb 1941 when The Sydney arrived in Fremantle WA from the Mediterranean and Alfred is thankfully recorded at Cerberus base again on the 5th March 1941.
Whilst onboard The Sydney he was a Temporary Provisional Gunner, and was awarded DSM for his part in the sinking of the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni off Cape Spada July 1940.
Alfred (Nippy) also served at the Lonsdale Base, Manoora, and Shoalhaven before resigning in 1953 after 34 years of service.
He married Ivy Elizabeth Slater at Woollahra, New South Wales in 1925, and they went on to have 4 children John Seville (Jack) born NSW 1926 who was also a sailor, Louise born Victoria 1927, Joan born Victoria 1935 and Robert born Victoria 1941. Ivy was born in India her father Abraham Seville (John) Slater served in the Lancashire Regiment in England before being posted to India in 1897, he also served WW1 in the East Lancashire Regiment. Ivys mother was Louisa Scarisbrick.
Alfred passed away in 1977 in Frankston at 74 years of age where he had made his home with his family