Dates:
War Service:
Brigade Major GEORGE FREDERICK PRAGNELL was killed on 23 July 1917 while serving at Staff Headquarters of the 123rd Infantry Brigade.
Before this posting he had served as a captain in the 11th Bn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment).
He had been posted to the battalion from the Buffs on 19 June 1915 and found himself in charge of the Lewisham recruiting centre at the Private Banks Sports ground at Catford. At the time of his death he had only been back at the Front for three days after a period of home leave.
The Battalion history reads: "Captain Pragnell brought a charm of personality and an organising ability of a high degree to bear on his work in bringing the battalion up to strength and of making it efficient. With these qualities, and personally known as he was to so many, he could hardly fail to be one of the most popular figures in the battalion. Whether he was organising recruiting rallies, staging boxing or billiards tournaments, preparing schemes of training or compiling orders he showed a remarkable facility for carrying through the job in hand to the smallest detail. After he had left to take up his well deserved appointment as brigade Major to 124 Brigade his interest in his old battalion never flagged. In France whenever he was near he always looked us up with a cheery word and a sympathetic enquiry as to our well being. The battalion lost a good friend, the Army a splendid soldier and England a fine gentleman when George Pragnell was killed by a stray shell near our old headquarters at Spoil Bank."
He is buried in Reninghelst New Military Cemetery near Ypres.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the memorial at St Augustine’s church, Grove Park.
Details:
He was 26,the only son of the late Sir George Pragnell and Lady Pragnell, of Kingsley Green, Haslemere, Surrey. He was educated at Dulwich College. His death was reported in The Times of 30 July 1917. He lived at ‘Clovelly’ Grove Park. On right is his entry in the Dulwich College Register.
Source:
CWGC; The History of the 11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kents published in 1934 by Captain R.O.Russell M.C.;
Dulwich College Register. The Times 30 July 1917.
Contributed By: Andy Pepper
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