Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Price, a stone quarry worker, born 1861 in Nailstone, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Emma Price (nee Kenney, married in the 4th quarter of 1882 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district), born 16th April 1860 in Anstey, Leicestershire. William was born in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in Anstey, his siblings were Elizabeth, a schoolgirl, born 1883, Samuel, a schoolboy, born 1885 and Mary Ann, a schoolgirl, born 1888, all his siblings were born in Anstey, in April 1891 the family home was at The Green, Anstey. In March 1901William was residing in the family home at The Green, Anstey, together with his father, a stone quarry worker, his mother and siblings, Elizabeth, a shoe trade machinist, Samuel, a shoe trade riveter, Mary, a shoe trade fitter, George Harry, born 1893, James Kenney, born 28th December 1894 and Hannah, born 1899, the latter three siblings were all born in Anstey. In April 1911 William was absent from the family home at 27, Forest Gate, Anstey, residing there was his father a stone quarry rock driller, his mother and siblings, Elizabeth, a shoe trade machinist, Mary, a shoe trade fitter, George, a shoe trade finisher, James, a stone quarry worker, Hanna, a schoolgirl and Ada Lilian, born 19th December 1906 in Anstey, William, a shoe trade finisher, was a patient at Desford Hall Convalescent Home, The Forest, Desford, Leicestershire. In 1919 William married Florence Elizabeth Harlow in the 2nd quarter of 1919 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district, Florence was born in April 1890 in Anstey, they had twins, Kenneth William and Marjorie Elizabeth, born on the 2nd December 1919 in Anstey. William died on the 3rd March 1921, aged 31 and his wife Florence died on the 23rd June 1925, aged 35.
William’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Royal Regiment of Artillery on the 19th August 1912 in Leicester, being allotted the service number 69593, and was posted as a Gunner to the Royal Field Artillery, 39th Brigade, 54th Battery and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 16th August 1914, during the course of his service he was promoted to the rank of Acting Bombardier. He was discharged on the 18th February 1919 to the Army Reserve “B” Class. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Pension Record Card does survive for William and offers the following information relating to his medical condition after his discharge to the Army Reserve.
CONFIDENTIAL. PENSIONER’S RECORD CARD. M.P. X9.
AREA: Leicester. 24179.
SERIAL NUMBER: 7/65388.
NAME: PRICE, William. [Albion St. Anstey Nr. Leicester] Rank: Acting Bombardier.
Regiment and Regimental No: Royal Field Artillery. 69593. Year of Birth: Not recorded.
[A.F.B. 178.] Date of Examination: 19/8/12. Defects or Ailments: Incomplete.
Grade or Category: Gunner. Date of Enlistment: 19/8/12.
Invaliding Disability: Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Claim under Article 9.
Date of Origin: March 1919. Cause of Disability: Attrib. Degree of Disablement: 100%.
Other Disabilities: √ Grade on Discharge: B Army Reserve. Date of Discharge: 18/2/19.
MEDICAL REPORT.
Surgical Appliances supplied and Dates of Operations especially important.
Dom Visit to Snarestone Sanat by D.C.M.S. [Deputy Commissioner of Medical Services] Confined to Bed. Hectic in appearance, clubbing of fingers. Tongue raw looking. Sputum stained. Emaciated. Even temp 100˚ to 102˚. Lungs. Marked active disease both apices esp Rt. Guc R. prolonged. Exp. Creps. Heart N. Not exercised. P.108. T.B. present.
Date of Board: 27/11/20.
P.T.O.
Subsequent Examinations. Place and Date.
MEDICAL REPORTS.
To include Treatment received, Progress, Present State and Degree of Disablement.
Deceased 3/3/21. Notified by C.M.S. 7/69559 of 23/5/21.
Signed: A. J. D. Speechley
Acting DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF MEDICAL SERVCES.
LEICESTER AREA.
Attached to the Pension Record is the Army Form B.178 Medical History Sheet taken from William’s service record that gives information recorded at the time of his enlistment into the Royal Artillery.
(A.F. B178) MEDICAL HISTORY of Surname: Price. Christian Name: William.
TABLE I. - GENERAL TABLE.
Examined: on 19th day of August 1912 at Leicester. Birthplace: Parish. Anstey, Nr. Leicester. County. Leicestershire. Declared Age: 21 years 5/12. Trade or Occupation: Cellar man. Height: 5 feet 8¾ inches. Weight. 129 lbs. Chest measurement: Girth when fully expanded 36½ inches. Range of Expansion 3 inches. Physical Development: Good. Pulse rate: 80.Small Pox Marks: Nil. Vaccination Marks: Arm. Number. Right. Not recorded. Arm. Number. Left. Not recorded. When Vaccinated: Not recorded. Vision: R.E. V= D6. L.E.-V= D6. (a) Marks indicating congenital peculiarities or previous disease: Not recorded. (b) Slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection: This man was discharged from the T.F. with rheumatism. I can find nothing wrong with him now. Enlisted at Leicester on 19th day of August 1912. Joined on Enlistment: No.4 Depot R.F.A. Regimental No: 69593 1098035. Transferred to 54th Battery R.F.A.
TABLE II. – Service Table:
Station or Troopship: Cosham. Date of arrival ore embarkations: 22/8/12. Date of departure or disembarkation: 28/11/12.
TABLE III. – Boards; Courts of Enquiry. Vaccination, Inoculations, etc. Examinations for Field or Foreign Service, Extension, Re-engagement, or Prolongation of Service; Issue of Surgical Appliances etc.
Date: Cosham 22/8/12. Brief details, and Signature: Vacc. 3 Left.
Date: 3/8/14. Brief details, and Signature: Examined and found fit for active service.
TABLE IV. Only for Admissions to Hospital or to the Sick Lists in the cases of Warrant Officers.
Name of Hospital: Cosham.
Admitted to Hospital: 5/9/12.
Discharge from Hospital: 11/9/12.
Disease: C-?-.
Number of days in Hospital: 7.
Remarks bearing on the cause, nature, or treatment of the case, likely to be of interest or of future use. In cases of syphilis, admissions and re-admissions to hospital will be shown. The subsequent progress, including particulars of treatment out of hospital, transfers etc., will be given in the special syphilis case sheet: Antiseptic, test. R.