Claude Esdaile Prior CBE (1895 - 1954)

Biography

Brigadier Claude Esdaile Prior CBE was born on 19th August 1895 at Boorowa, New South Wales, Australia. He was the fourth and youngest son of William Prior and Selina Heard.^[1] He graduated from the Australian Military College, Duntroon.

Claude was commissioned on 27th April 1916 as an officer in the Australian Imperial Force for service overseas during the First World War.^[2] He served as a Captain in the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion from 1918.^[3] He returned to Australia 18th July 1919. He was Mentioned in Despatches, gazetted in London 11th July 1919.^[4]

He married Dorothy Wright in 1920 at Manly, New South Wales.^[5] They made their home at Bower Street, Manly.

He served once more, in the Second Australian Imperial Force during the Second World War.^[6] Claude formed the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion on 14th December 1939 as part of the 18th Brigade and 6th Division. In May 1940 the 2/1st sailed with the brigade to the Middle East but the convoy was diverted to Britain to help bolster defences. The Australians remained in Britain for several months, while the battle of Britain played out about their heads. In November the battalion sailed for the Middle East, arriving in Egypt at the end of December.^[7] He was then promoted to Colonel and posted to divisional headquarters, 6th Division. As a Brigadier, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 9th September 1942 for his servivce in the Middle East.^[8]

Following the war, he transferred to the Australian Regular Army. He was appointed senior Australian military observer with the United Nations Commission in Indonesia. He retired on his 55th birthday, 19th August 1950 as a staff officer at Headquarters Southern Command.

He passed away, aged just 58 years, on 16th June 1954 at his home at Bower Street, Manly.^[9] He was granted a funeral in St Matthew's Church of England (Anglican Church), The Corso, Manly, with full military honours and was buried in Northern Suburbs Memorial Park.^[10] Claude was survived by Dorothy and a married daughter.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #31078/1895
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Captain Claude Esdaile Prior; accessed 18 Jun 2019
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record: 3rd Machine Gun Battalion; accessed 18 Jun 2019
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Captain Claude Esdaile Prior; accessed 18 Jun 2019
5. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #9280/1920
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: SX1470 Colonel Claude Esdaile Prior; accessed 18 Jun 2019
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record: 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion; accessed 18 Jun 2019
8. ↑ Australian Honours: Brigadier Claude Esdaile Prior; accessed 18 Jun 2019
9. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #9978/1954
10. ↑ 'Prior, Claude Esdaile (1898–1954)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University; accessed 18 Jun 2019