William Thomas Prismall
William Thomas Prismall a native of New Malden was born in 1887. He was
the eldest son of Thomas W. and Caroline Prismall. After receiving his
education at Christ Church Boys’ School, Elm Road, William was employed as a
grocer’s assistant at Messrs. Wood and Hill, Malden Road, subsequently becoming
a temporary postman at the New Malden Post Office.
He enlisted at Kingston-upon-Thames and entered the Army on November 6, 1916, joining the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). William was then posted to to Lowestoft, Suffolk for training. On Christmas Eve, 1916, William married Beatrice Maggs at Christ Church, New Malden. In the Summer of 1917, Thomas proceeded to France, arriving there on the 16th July. He was then transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Queen’s. After less that three months at the Front Line, Private William Thomas then aged 30, was brought in to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station very badly wounded. The Sister-in-charge, in a letter to his widow, wrote that her husband was in a very collapsed state, did not speak and passed away quietly on the 6th October 1917. Private Thomas is buried at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery close to the Belgian border, about 16 kilometres south-west of Ieper (Ypres), and rests beside 900 of his British and Commonwealth comrades. Alfred Henry, the only other surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. Prismall, of 56, Cleveland Road, also served King and Country. Alfred was wounded on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme whilst with the 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. Happily he recovered and survived the War. |