Kenneth Mallorie PRIESTMAN

DE RUVIGNY'S ROLL OF HONOUR 1914-1918 – Part Three

PRIESTMAN, KENNETH MALLORIE, 2nd Lieut., R.E., elder s. of George E. Priestman, of Hollin Grange, Ilkley, Worsted Spinner and Manufacturer, by his wife, Louisa Maude, dau. of the late Thomas Peter Mallorie, of Bramley Grange, near Leeds; b. Nearcliffe, Bradford, co. York, 8 Jan. 1891; educ. Ghyll Royd School, Ilkley; Bootham School, York, and Leeds University, where he graduated B.Sc. in 1912; subsequently spent two years at the British Thomson-Houston Electrical Works, Rugby, and on leaving there in 1914 took up a position in his father’s firm of Messrs. John Priestman & Co. Ltd., Bradford. After the outbreak of war he offered his services as a voluntary Motor Driver, and served in France for some months with the Friends’ Ambulance Unit; obtained a commission in the R.E. 28 Oct. 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 6 March, 1916, and was killed in action on the Somme 31 Aug. following. Buried in a cemetery on the east bank of the River Ancre, between Thiépval and Albert. A brother officer wrote: “This morning your son was killed instantaneously in action whilst on reconnaissance work with his Major. A large fragment of shell must have hit and broken his spine, and he died immediately. . . . Your son was a particular friend of mine, and has always showed the acme of courage in action, clear-headed, and a good grasp of the situation in very awkward corners. . . . We have lost a well-beloved comrade, and one of the best officers we ever had.” Unm.

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

1917

PRIESTMAN Kenneth Mallorie of Hollin Grange Ilkley Yorkshire a second-lieutenant in the Royal Engineers died 31 August 1916 in France Probate Wakefield 27 April to George Edward Priestman worsted spinner. Effects £2175 5s.

BOOTHAM SCHOOL ARCHIVES

(Courtesy of Bootham School, York)

In Memoriam: Kenneth Mallorie Priestman

Kenneth Mallorie Priestman (B. 1904-08) of Ilkley, Second-Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, was killed in action on the Somme, near Ancre, in France on 31st August 1916 whilst on reconnaissance work. He was 25 years old. He had been home on short leave less than a fortnight before his death.

Before receiving his commission in the Royal Engineers, in the summer of 1915, he served for some months as a voluntary motor driver in the Friends’ Ambulance Unit at the front in Flanders.

The following are extracts from letters, received from fellow officers:

“August 31st, 1916. I have to tell you very sad news. This morning your son was killed instantaneously in action whilst on reconnaissance work with his Major. A large fragment of shell must have hit and broken his spine, and he died immediately. Major ____ was very badly hit at the time, also another Officer of the Pioneers. We are only three left to carry on . . . . Your son was a particular friend of mine, and has always shewed a good grasp of the situation in very awkward corners . . . . We have lost a well beloved comrade and one of the best Officers we ever had.”

“September 2nd, 1916. Your son was killed in the advanced front line, and we had great difficulty in bringing his body in. He had to be carried over a shell swept zone, over the top, in full view of the enemy. He was buried in the cemetery just near where we are now. All the Officers of our Company attended – now reduced to three. Our parson conducted the service and men from his section acted as bearers. I am having a cross made and a frame to mark out his grave.”

The June 1917 issue of “Bootham” magazine quotes a letter from another Bootham Old Scholar. Captain J. C. Procter writes:—

“Lieutenant Priestman’s grave is well kept and has a large white cross of wood painted with his name in black letters. It is the largest cross of its sort in the cemetery, which is perhaps why I saw it. . . . The cemetery is in a little valley, ” Blighty Valley,” and will be very pretty one day. . . . It has steep wooded sides and at present is full of batteries and a little tramway runs up past the graveyard.”