{"id":6519,"date":"2020-05-14T19:09:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T19:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/?p=6519"},"modified":"2020-05-15T19:07:20","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T19:07:20","slug":"rifleman-r-j-prentice-7014260","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/14\/rifleman-r-j-prentice-7014260\/","title":{"rendered":"RJ Prentice 2 LIR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We received a note and some photos from Colin Prentice, the son of  Robert John Prentice who served with the 2nd Bn London Irish Rifles during the Second World War &#8211; he is seen below (directly behind Lt Searles) on guard duty with H Company for General Montgomery at Vasto in December 1943 as he prepared to leave 8th Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"544\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_112043-1.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"6529\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/?attachment_id=6529\" class=\"wp-image-6529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_112043-1.png 544w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_112043-1-300x258.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption\">  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In his note, Colin told us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I remember Dad telling me he was in the London Irish Rifles and then later served with the REME. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"421\" height=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111152-2.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"6532\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/14\/rifleman-r-j-prentice-7014260\/img_20181112_111152-2\/\" class=\"wp-image-6532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111152-2.png 421w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111152-2-216x300.png 216w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>My Dad was in the Territorial Army at Girdwood Barracks on the Antrim   Road in Belfast and worked at Gallaher&#8217;s tobacco factory for over 23 years. When he retired he worked at the police authority in Belfast as security next to the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum in Waring Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have enclosed a few photos of him, one with his two brothers who were killed in action in Burma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, my dad is in the middle with brothers Alfred, left and David, right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"444\" height=\"251\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_090610-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_090610-2.png 444w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_090610-2-300x170.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My Dad is top left below in the boxing team<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"607\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111852.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111852.png 607w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111852-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111852-75x50.png 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, my Dad on the right with his men on exercise, with the REME I think,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"387\" height=\"265\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111530.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111530.png 387w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111530-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111530-75x50.png 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 387px) 100vw, 387px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I also remember my father telling me that he was a boy soldier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"305\" height=\"591\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/1668073518.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/1668073518.png 305w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/1668073518-155x300.png 155w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 305px) 100vw, 305px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>He did get wounded himself in battle being shot in the shin and then was hit in the other leg &#8211; with a &#8220;dum dum&#8221; I think he called it.  He was then injured in the head and had to have a silver plate inserted and I remember him telling me that the doctor said he might not last long but my Dad lived until he was 73. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"401\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111501-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111501-1.png 401w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111501-1-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111501-1-75x50.png 75w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"592\" height=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111442.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111442.png 592w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181114_111442-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111959.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111959.png 640w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181112_111959-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At his funeral service in 1996, his army comrades &#8211; Joe Farrell at the front and Billy McCullough at the rear &#8211; would flank his coffin &#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"417\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_092837.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_092837.png 417w, https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_20181113_092837-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Quis Separabit<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We received a note and some photos from Colin Prentice, the son of Robert John Prentice who served with the 2nd Bn London Irish Rifles during the Second World War &#8211; he is seen below (directly behind Lt Searles) on guard duty with H Company for General Montgomery at Vasto in December 1943 as he [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-second-world-war"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6519"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6562,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6519\/revisions\/6562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}