Born at Great Bromley, near Fretton, Essex.
Enlisted at Ipswich on the 12th of December 1836.
Age: 22.
Height: 5' 9". Trade: Labourer.
Features: Fair complexion. Blue eyes. Brown hair.
Invalided to England on the 20th of October 1855.
Rejoined the regiment at Cahir from Brighton on the 1st of June 1856.
Formerly servant to Captain Arthur Burnand, he was sent to the Depot on the 1st of October 1857, shortly the regiment embarked for India.
Discharged from Maidstone on the 31st of July 1862, at his "Own request", after 24 years' service.
Served 25 years 218 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 6 monthsIn India: 5 years, 4 months.
Conduct and character: "very good."
In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Eleven times entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Next of kin: (in 1854), his wife, Margaret Prior.
Aged 48 years 1 month on discharge. Awarded a pension of 11d.per day.
To live in Woolwich, London.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
His documents, however, credit him with the Crimean medal with four clasps and the Turkish Medal, but the medal roll however only shows the three clasps as listed.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 30th of November 1858, with a gratuity of £5.
1881 Census
Vineyard Street, parish of St. Botolph's, Colchester, Essex.
From the 1881 Census Returns a man of this name, aged 63, a Bricklayer, born in Colchester, was living as a Lodger in the home of Mary Ware.
[RM: A "William Robert Prior" is shown in the GRO records as dying aged 63 in the Colchester registration district in the September quarter of 1881.]