Roll of Honour - Shropshire

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

PREES WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Mick Peck and John Hendry 2021

The Prees war memorial is located in Church Street, Prees, Shropshire. It takes the form of a Celtic cross set on a tapering shaft and plinth with a sloping tablet at its foot. There are two stone spheres each side of the tablet and the inscription is written in black on the front faces of the plinth. There are eighteen names for World War 1 and seven names for World War 2.

Photograph Copyright © Joe Whelan (WMR-38042)

OF THE 167 MEN OF PREES WHO SERVED
IN HM FORCES IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 - 18, THE FOLLOWING MADE THE
SUPREME SACRIFICE

'THEY DIED THAT WE MAY LIVE'
IN THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945
140 MEN AND WOMEN WENT FROM THIS
PARISH INTO THE FORCES OF THE CROWN.
THIS STONE COMMEMORATES
THOSE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES.

BATE	W	George William Bate. Lance Corporal 19851. 42nd Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), formerly 11118 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 3rd September 1917. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Bate (nee Furber). Born 1896 Prees, enlisted Wem and resident Prees. Commemorated Bethleem Farm West Cemetery. D.29.
BATE	J T	John Thomas Bate. Private 11119. C Company, 5th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 9th August 1915. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Bate (nee Furber). Born 1894 Prees, enlisted Wem and resident Prees. Commemorated Sanctuary Wood Cemetery. IV.D.28.
BROMFIELD	R	John Reginald Broomfield as 1883 birth record, family also appears as Bromfield on records. Private 16508. 8th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 5th November 1915. Son of John Lewis and Mary Broomfield (nee Peake) of Prees Green. Husband of Mabel Broomfield (former name unknown, marriage not found). Born Audlem and enlisted Shrewsbury. Commemorated Rue-Du-Bacquerot No: 1 Military Cemetery. I.E.1.
EVANSON	T	John Thomas Evanson. Corporal T/204906. 3/4th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment, formerly 3197 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 4th October 1917. Only son of John and Jane Evanson (nee Smith) of Prees Green. Born 1887 Monks Coppenhall and enlisted Shrewsbury. Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 14 to 17.
HARES	C	Vincent Colin Hares. Lieutenant. 6th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, attached 10th Battalion, formerly Private 14527 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (discharged to commission 11th May 1915). Killed in action 30th November 1917. Son of Thomas James and Lucretia Hares (nee Topham). Born 1896 Prees and resident Millenheath. Commemorated Jerusalem War Cemetery. E.36.
HICKMAN	H	Herbert Hickman. Private 15003. 1st Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Died of wounds 24th April 1917. Son of Reuben and Sarah Ann Hickman (nee Ball). Born 1888 Crudgington, enlisted Wem and resident Prees Green. Commemorated Bethune Town Cemetery. VI.D.75.
HOPWOOD	W	William Hopwood. Private 108708. 205th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), formerly 229558 Monmouthshire Regiment. Killed in action 6th November 1917. Son of Thomas and Margaret Hopwood (nee Dutton). Born 1898 Prees, enlisted Oswestry and resident Prees. Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 154 to 159.
HUXLEY	E	Ernest John Huxley. Private 304419. 13th Battalion, Tank Corps, formerly 19665 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 18th April 1918. Son of John Henry and Sarah Ann Wilding (nee Cartwright, later Known as Sarah Ann Wilding). Born 1895 Press and enlisted Church Stretton. Commemorated Meteren Military Cemetery. V.L.913.
LANGFORD	G	George Langford. Private 19231. 6th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 17th September 1916. Son of Joseph and Anne Langford (nee Jones). Born 1886 Prees Heath, enlisted Shrewsbury and resident Prees Heath. Commemorated Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 12A and 12D.
MOORE	T	Thomas Moore. Private 42222. 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, formerly Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Died ‘Diphtheria’ 18th February 1917. Son of Thomas and Lucy Jane Moore (nee Birks) of Whitchurch Road, Prees (as 1911). Born 1896 Tunstall and enlisted Whitchurch. Commemorated Heilly Station Cemetery. V.A.18.
MULLOCK	J	Jack Mullock. Sergeant 230072. 10th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, formerly 1487 Shropshire Yeomanry. Killed in action 22nd August 1918. Son of John and Clara Alexandra Mullock (nee Durant). Husband of Penelope Mullock (nee Hough, now wife of William H Sheldon). Born 1893 Malpas and enlisted Hawkstone Abbey. Commemorated Loos Memorial. Panel 98 and 99.
THOMAS	H	Harry Thomas. Private 28943. 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action 21st August 1918. Son of Henry and Harriet Thomas (believed nee Jones but unverified). Born 1899 Prees and enlisted Oswestry. Commemorated Moyenneville (Two Tree) Cemetery. B.8.
WARD	G	George Ward. Private 15899. 5th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Died of shock 1st August 1915. Son of Charles and Sarah Ann Ward (nee Beckett). Born 1892 Ash and enlisted Whitchurch. Commemorated Bedford House Cemetery. Enclosure No: 2. IV.B.54.
WHITFIELD	C H	Cecil Harry Wem Whitfield. Private 10145. 1st Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 22nd June 1915. Son of Charles and Sarah Whitfield (nee Kynaston). Born 1890 Wem and enlisted Shrewsbury. Commemorated Potijze Burial Ground. Z.17.
WHITFIELD	C	Charles Whitfield. Lance Corporal 26407. 7th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 14th June 1918. Son of Charles and Sarah Whitfield (nee Kynaston). Husband of Mary Ann Whitfield (nee Cooper). Born 1895 Prees, enlisted Shrewsbury and resident Harmer Hill. Commemorated Sandpits British Cemetery. II.E.9.
WHITNEY	W	William Whitney. Corporal 7853. 5th Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 9th September 1917. Son of Robert and Sarah Whitney (nee Ridgway). Born 1887 Prees, enlisted Shrewsbury and resident Press. Commemorated Kandahar Farm Cemetery. II.G.14.
WHITNEY	F	Richard Frank Whitney. Private 56834. 14th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, formerly 11282 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 3rd September 1918. Son of Robert and Sarah Whitney (nee Ridgway). Born 1890 Prees and enlisted 17th August 1914 Wem. Commemorated Delville Wood Cemetery. XXII.G.8.
WILLIAMS	J	John Arthur Williams. Private 40352. 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, formerly 32696 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 28th May 1918. Son of George and Frances Williams (nee Hammersley). Born 1895 Prees and enlisted Oswestry. Commemorated Soissons Memorial.
THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE. IN THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945 140 MEN AND WOMEN WENT FROM THIS PARISH INTO THE FORCES OF THE CROWN. THIS STONE COMMEMORATES THOSE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES.
CARTER	R E	Reginald E Carter (second forename unknown). Private 14207763. 5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Died 12th March 1943. Son of Thomas Henry and Olive M Carter (nee Bate, born Prees). Born 1921. Commemorated Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery. 12.F.3.
CLAWLEY	G W	George William Clawley. Sergeant (Observer) 533480, Royal Air Force. 150 Squadron. Killed in action 7th June 1940 (crewing Fairey Battle L5288, shot down attacking vehicle convoy. No Survivors). Son of George H and Agnes Eleanor Clawley (nee Evans). Husband of Edna May Clawley (nee Horobin, now wife of Dennis Callaghan). Born 14th August 1915, regular airman on 207 Squadron 1939. Commemorated Vergies Communal Cemetery. 1. Joint Grave 19-20.
COPNALL	H L	Harry Leman Copnall. Guardsman 4122521. 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards. Died 22nd May 1940. Son of John Richard and Mary Copnall (nee Jones). Husband of Emla C Copnall (nee McBryde, now wife of Thomas Holmes). Born 1914. Commemorated Arras Communal Cemetery. Y.I.58.
MASON	H	Herbert Mason. Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) 1380052, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in action 1st May 1943 (crewing Handley Page Halifax W7929. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire on Essen raid, crashed attempting emergency landing Norfolk). Son of Solomon and Mary Ann Mason (nee Penlington as birth record but no marriage record found, now wife of Joseph Ikin). Born 7th September 1922. Commemorated Prees (St Chad) Churchyard.
OUSELEY	C	Charles Ouseley. Lance Bombardier 954448. 78 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died 20th February 1944. Son of Harry Ouseley (wife unknown, named as Greasley at birth but no marriage record found). Husband of Edith A Ouseley (nee Bate, widow of William H Brayne). Born 1918. Commemorated Naples War Cemetery. III.A.13.
PURCELL	D F	Douglas F Purcell (second forename unknown). Private 14542690. 2nd Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Died 6th July 1944. Son of Frederick Pretoria and Margaret Elizabeth Purcell (nee Wild). Born 1924. Commemorated La Delivrande War Cemetery. IX.H.5.
WOOLLAM	P	Peter Woollam. Sergeant (Air Gunner) 1890807, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 75 Squadron. Killed in action 19th April 1944 (crewing Short Stirling EH955 shot down by German night fighter piloted by Lt Heilig. Four killed, three survivors). Son of Frederick and Minnie Woollam (nee Grindley). Born 1924. Commemorated Gram Churchyard.

I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT

Last updated 16 September, 2026

War Memorials Trust