The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Captain G F Pragnell

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Photograph by "GeertB"

Captain George Frederick PRAGNELL, 11th Battalion,  Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, (secondary Unit: Brigade Major, Staff H.Q. 123rd Infantry Brigade), killed, (by a "stray" shell),   23rd July 1917, Ypres, Belgium, age 26.

11th June 1891, born Blackheath.

Only son of Sir George and Lady Leonora Pragnell, (nee Jenkins), of Kingsley Green, Haslemere, Surrey / Ashgrove, 33 Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, Surrey..

Educated at a prep school in Herne Bay run by Edgar Mobbs and at Dulwich College, (1906-1907), close to where his family was currently living in Beulah Hill.

1911 Census -  Clovelly, The Avenue, Grove Park, Lee, Kent, SE - Leonora Pragnell, head (wife crossed through), married 20 years, 2 children, both still alive, born Westminster, London; George Frederick Pragnell, son, age 19, single, accountant, General Warehousemen & Manufacturers, worker, born Blackheath; Susie Edge, age 23, single, servant, cook, worker, born South Creake; Ethel Bannister, age 18, single, servant, domestic, worker, born Farnboro'; Minnie Boyle, age 27, single, servant, domestic, worker, born Newry, County Down, Ireland.

Home to 19th September 1914; BEF 20th September 1914 to 23rd July 1917.

July 1911, admitted to the socially exclusive Honourable Artillery Company, Service No.657; formerly an accountant for Cook and Co; 1914 risen to the rank of Lance Corporal; 20 September 1914 posted BEF placed on Lines of Communication duty; 9th December 1914,  held the rank of Sergeant, responsible for the Orderly Room; 29 January 1915, after just over three months in France, he left the battalion; 23 February 1915, gazetted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment); April 1915, transferred to the 11th (Lewisham) Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment; Pragnell was not part of the original officer contingent of the 11th Battalion that sailed to France in May 1916. The battalion was part of 123rd Brigade, 41st Division and Pragnell was appointed to the staff as Brigade Major;  23 July 1917 he was walking with his Brigadier-General, C.W.E. Gordon, along a rough track between Spoil Bank and Voormezeele, south-west of Ypres, when they were hit by a shell. Gordon was killed instantaneously. Pragnell died five minutes later.

8th October 1917, Probate - George Frederick Pragnell, of Clovelly, Grove Park, Kent, died 23rd July 1917 in France or Belgium. Probate  London 8th October, to Albert Chambers, warehouseman & William John Read, Solicitor. Effects £2338 16s 10d.

Buried at Reninghelst New Military  Cemetery, III. D. 17., Belgium. Commemorated at St Augustine Church, Grove Park, Lewisham, London SE.

Great War British Officers

AWARDS: DSO

NOTE: included in Regimental History but not Officers Died in the Great War.

London Gazette 9th July 1915.

The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment),  11th Battalion (Lewisham).

Temporary Second Lieutenant George F. Pragnell, from 9th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), to be temporary Second Lieutenant. Dated 19th June, 1915.

London Gazette 9th July 1915.

The under mentioned temporary Second Lieutenants to be temporary Lieutenants.

George F. Pragnell. Dated 20th June, 1915.

London Gazette 24th August 1915.

The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). 11th Battalion (Lewisham)

Temporary Lieutenant George F. Pragnell to be temporary Captain. Dated 26th July, 1915.

London Gazette 19th January 1917.

War Office, 19th January, 1917. REGULAR FORCES. COMMANDS AND STAFF.

The under mentioned appointments are made:  Staff Captains:

Temporary  Captain G. F. Pragnell, Royal West Kent Regiment, and to be transferred to the General List, vice temporary Captain A. J. B. Weare.  - 19th December  1916