Walter Erskine Prior plaque

This commemorative plaque records: To the sympathy and kindness of my friends Mr. and Mrs. William Webber of this estate I owe the emplacement of this tribute to the memory of my brace and most lovable son, Lieut. Walter Erskine Prior R.N.V.R. age 23 years, killed 22nd Dec. 1945 on the foreshore by the groynes a hundred yards distant while immunising a mine under severe conditions of sea and weather and after first ordering his naval ratings to precautionary shelter. Erected by his proud and sorrowing father the Rev. Clement E. Prior, rector of Upton Warren, Worcs. “All my thoughts go onward with you To the islands of the blessed To the kingdom of Ponemah To the land of the hereafter.” Longfellow’s Hiawatha Dedicated by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Chichester 15th June 1948

Lieutenant Walter Erskine Prior, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, died on December 22, 1945, while attempting to disarm a mine, demonstrating bravery and selflessness by ensuring his crew's safety before proceeding with the dangerous task. His actions highlight the risks faced by service personnel in post-World War II demining operations.