Army Service Corps, 178th Depot Unit of Supply, Service No. S4/065055
Son of George Frederick Prince & Louisa Sumner England
Died 5th November 1918, aged 29.
Buried Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt Ref No. 191
Story
Born 27th October 1889, Harry Prince lived at Kippax Mill, where his parents were corn millers and feed merchants. Harry’s father passed away in 1897 aged 41. His brothers, George and Herbert helped his mother at the Mill, but Harry became a Clerk at the Halifax Bank in Castleford. In May 1914, he was fined 10s and costs at the Leeds Police Court for not obeying a policeman’s signal at the corner of Briggate. He cut across on the wrong side of the road, instead of going round the constable.
5 ft 4½” tall, Harry enlisted for the Army at Castleford on 27th February 1915. At his inspection, Harry was found to have ‘defective teeth’, and was required to write a letter of permission (pictured below) before being accepted.
In August 1915, Harry was at Dardanelles, remaining until the evacuation. On 14th January 1916, Harry forfeited 3 days’ pay for going absent without leave in Alexandria, and spent time in Cairo. He was sent to Palestine on Christmas 1917, engaged as a clerk at Headquarters. He died in Kantara, in Northern Egypt (pictured below) where British Forces were defending Suez against Turkish troops.
His death from bacillary dysentery is described below. Harry’s mother found out about her son’s death just before Armistice Day, and was sent £44 8s 2d, a memorial scroll and the King’s letter.
Report on S4/065055 Pte Prince H. A.S.C
This man apparently reported sick on 14/10/18 with diarrhoea which soon turned into dysentery, and was diagnosed Bacillary Dysentery by the Military Laboratory on 23/10/18.
He was evacuated down the line and reached 24th Stationary Hospital on 29/10/18. He seems to have been very ill and had received serum treatment on 19/10/18. On admission to 24 Stationary Hospital he was very thin and weak and was passing 5 or 6 motions daily which still contained blood and mucus. His pulse was rapid and he was febrile. No signs of any other disease were discovered. In spite of all that could be done for him he got gradually weaker and died early on 5th November 1918.
Post-mortem: signs of severe Bacillary Dysentery were found but nothing else abnormal. I am of the opinion that the disease was contracted in active service.
24 Stationary Hospital, 13/11/18. H. Coppock MD.
Below: British troops pictured in Egypt
Kippax Roll of Honour 