Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of four awarded to Major F. W. Prentice, Tank Corps, late Royal Engineers, who had previously served as an Assistant Storekeeper on the R.M.S. Titanic, and survived her sinking on her maiden voyage in April 1912 by jumping 100 feet from the poop deck over the propellors just as the stern disappeared into the freezing North Atlantic

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (32144 Cpl. F. W. Prentice. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. F. W. Prentice.) nearly extremely fine (4) £8,000-£10,000

M.C. London Gazette 15 October 1918:
‘For great initiative and gallantry during an attack. After the infantry were established on the final objective he patrolled his tank in front, destroying hostile machine-gun groups, smashing one gun and capturing another. He then directed his tank through the protective barrage to subdue guns on the far side. On one occasion he got out of his tank, followed by a gunner, and captured several of the enemy, pulling one out of a trench by his gas mask.’

The original Recommendation, for an Immediate Award, adds further details: ‘On July 4, 1918, during the attack on Hamel and Vaire Wood, near Corbie, this officer showed the very greatest initiative and gallantry. After seeing the infantry established on the final objective, he patrolled up and down in his tank in front of them, destroying hostile machine-gun groups: smashing one gun and capturing another which had been firing at our infantry.
As hostile machine-guns were still firing from beyond our artillery protective barrage, this officer directed his tank through our barrage in order to subdue the machine-guns which were harassing our infantry. On one occasion Second Lieutenant Prentice got out of his tank, followed by a gunner, and captured several enemy out of a trench, pulling one out by his gas mask. During the action this officer showed a total disregard of personal safety. He only withdrew from the battle on account of mechanical trouble caused by a bullet from an anti-tank rifle. By his fine personal example he gave his crew the utmost confidence throughout the action.’

Frank Winnold Prentice was born at Downham Market, Norfolk, on 17 February 1889 and prior to the Great War was employed as a Storekeeper by the White Star Line. He joined the crew of the Titanic in April 1912, having previously served in the Celtic, for the monthly wage of £3 15s, and served in her on her maiden voyage from Southampton.

On the night of 14-15 April 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank with the loss of over 1,500 souls. Prentice was amongst the survivors - in his own account of the disaster he recalls how he and fellow storekeepers Michael Kieran and Cyril Ricks jumped from the stern in the final moments of the sinking, jumping off well over 100 feet above the water almost over the warning notice ‘Warning: This vessel is triple screwed, keep clear of the blades’ board which was mounted on the poop deck railing. Ricks broke his leg during their abandonment of the ship, but Prentice found him in the water and stayed with him until he died. Finding some wreckage to cling to, he eventually managed to swim to Lifeboat 4, and was pulled aboard. Before abandoning the ship, Prentice recalls that he took a bottle of brandy with him; still clinging to it as he was picked up by a lifeboat the bottle caught the eye of the officer in charge of the lifeboat, who promptly took it from him (before Prentice had drunk any of it) and threw it overboard.
Eventually picked up by the Carpathia, Prentice disembarked at New York City on 18 April 1912. (The recipient’s own account, as told in the documentary Titanic: A Question of Murder, refers).

Prentice returned to England and signed on to the Oceanic on 10 July 1912. He later recalled that he was on board when one of Titanic's lifeboats was found drifting in mid-Atlantic with four dead aboard. Following the outbreak of the Great War the Oceanic was converted into an armoured cruised and sailed from Southampton on 25 August 1914. Her naval service was to last just two weeks, for on the morning of 8 September 1914 she ran aground on the notorious Shaalds of Foula reef off Shetland. Once again Prentice had to jump into the water and again he was picked up by a lifeboat. Deciding that he had more than pushed his luck with ships and the sea, he decided at that point to join the Army.

Prentice attested for the Royal Engineers, and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 1 January 1915. He was commissioned temporary Second Lieutenant in the Tank Corps on 28 August 1917, and was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry during the attack on Hamel and Vaire Wood on 4 July 1918.

Advanced Major, in later life Prentice reflected, ‘I’ve had a lot of experiences during my life Two World Wars. Badly shattered right arm. Another wound in the leg. And all anyone wants to know about is the Titanic. (Ghosts of the Titanic, by Charles Pellegrino refers). He died in Bournemouth, Dorset, on 30 May 1982.

Sold with copied research, including two VHS video cassettes containing the recipient’s recollections; a copy of Ghosts of the Titanic, by Charles Pellegrino, in which the recipient is mentioned and quoted; and a Royal Life Saving Society Swimming Proficiency Medal, bronze, the reverse named ‘A. P. Prentice, July 1938.’