Thomas Valentine Price

Location:
Shropshire Regimental Museum, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 2AA

The cross is located on the 1st floor of the museum amongst the collection dedicated to the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry from 1881-1968.

The cross commemorates Sergeant T.V. Price. The cross is an unusual design and has three diamond shaped wooden pieces at either end of the cross member and on top of the cross.
Details on cross: There is 1 GRU tag on the cross – ‘G.R.U’

Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): The cross is hand painted in black text which reads

‘R.I.P,
Killed in action,
250085 Sgt Price T.V,
10th K.S.L.I,
29.7.18’

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 835.2mm
Cross beam width: 355.6mm
Width of wood: 76.2mm
Thickness or depth: 25.4mm

Other information
Mounting to wall: The cross is attached to the wall with 4 screws.
Detailing: n/a
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): There is visible evidence of use in the ground towards the bottom of the cross with some cracking and staining.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): 152.4mm.
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Rough unfinished wood.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): The cross looks to be in good condition overall, but there are two small chips in the diamond shaped wooden pieces on the top of the cross and the right side of the cross member.

Notes and observations:
Next to the cross there is a small plastic plaque which reads ‘Original wooden cross from the grave of Sgt Thomas Valentine Price, 10th (Shropshire and Cheshire Yeomanry), Bn Kings (Shropshire Light Infantry) from St Venant Cemetery. Sgt Price was killed in action on 29th July 1918. After the war these temporary crosses were replaced by carved headstones incorporating the regimental badge and a personal inscription chosen by the next of kin. Gift: Mrs G.M.Jones’.

Above the cross there is also a framed drawing of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry badge and a small plastic plaque which reads ‘KSLI badge design for the Imperial War Graves Commission c1920. The master design for regimental headstones drawing by Herbert Joseph Cribb (1892-1967).

Sergeant Thomas Valentine Price was born in Kentchurch and enlisted in Hereford. He was the husband of Sylvia Price. He was thirty years old when he was killed in action on 29th July 1918. He is buried at St Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (Plot III, Row E, Grave 10).

The Shropshire Regimental Museum is set in a beautiful location and is housed in the medieval fortress of Shrewsbury Castle. It has a spectacular collection of uniforms, medals, weapons and other artefacts from the 18th century to the present day. The entry cost is £4 and it’s well worth a visit for anyone interested in military history.

From CWGC
Thomas Valentine Price
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 230085
Date of Death: 29/07/1916
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: King’s Shropshire Light Infantry 10th Bn.
Grave Reference: III. E. 10.
Cemetery: ST. VENANT-ROBECQ ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, ROBECQ
Additional Information: Husband of Sylvia Emillie Price, of Orling Plock, Smallbrook, Clehonger, Hereford.

Survey and photographs courtesy of Beverley Goodwin and Margaret Draycott
Date of survey: 14th December 2016