Lance Corporal John Prime
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L-Cpl John Prime, 14102, 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 31st, 1916. He was aged 23 and the younger son of John and Eliza Prime, of 2 Front Street, Slip End.
He joined the Bedfords in September 1914, having been employed, like his father, by builders T. & E. Neville, Castle Street, Luton. He was one of the Neville workmen who helped in the building of the Luton News building in Manchester Street that was opened in 1913.
L-Cpl Prime had been at the Front about 18 months and escaped wounds, although he had been gassed just before Christmas 1915 and was home on leave soon afterwards.
News of L-Cpl Prime's death came on August 6th in a letter to his parents from Pte D. Field. He wrote: "It is with the deepest regret that I write to inform you that your son Jack was killed in action on July 31st about 10.30 in the morning. He was struck by an enemy shell which mortally wounded him. He was unconscious for a short time, about half-an-hour or so, and later was buried by another shell.
"He died a hero, only a few yards from the enemy, after having gone through the most intense bombardment that we have known on this front. Everything he had was buried with him."
John Prime is commemorated on the Slip End/Woodside roll of honour.
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