Brothers in Arms
The true story of the Prentice brothers - the inspiration for the Broken Lines series of books.
Thomas, Walter, and Alexander Prentice grew up in Cambuslang, the sons of Thomas Prentice and Margaret Reid, and attended Hallside Public School. Like so many families of their generation, the Prentice family would be profoundly impacted by the First World War.
Walter Reid Prentice (seated), my grandfather, was born in September 1897. He was only 16 when he lied about his age to enlist in the 5th Battalion, Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) on 4 August 1914. He disembarked in France on 5 November 1914 and was present during the 1914 Christmas Truce. He was wounded in January 1915 and sent home to recover. While in hospital his true age was discovered. Instead of being discharged, Walter was retained and trained as a Musketry Instructor. He returned to the front in June 1917 and fought at Passchendaele.
Walter survived the war, coming home in early 1919, and later served in the Home Guard during the Second World War, the effects of years of smoking preventing front‑line service.
Thomas Prentice (on left) born in June 1895, answered Lord Kitchener’s call to arms and enlisted in the 8th Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders, in September 1914, as part of Kitchener’s ‘First 100,000”. After many months of training, he landed in France in May 1915 and fought at the Battle of Loos later that year. He returned home briefly on leave that December before going back to the front.
On 28 June 1916, aged just 21, Thomas was killed during a failed trench raid in the Loos–Vermelles–Hulluch sector. He is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery in the Pas‑de‑Calais.
Alexander Prentice (on right) was born in October 1899. He initially enlisted alongside Thomas in the 8th Gordon Highlanders. Like Walter, he lied about his age – he was 14 years and 10 months old on attestment. He served in France with Tom, also returning home briefly in December 1915. In February 1916, following an intervention and plea from his father, he was sent home and discharged for being underage.
However, when he turned 18 in October 1917 he was conscripted, joining a Graduated Battalion. At the time, soldiers under 19 were not sent overseas; however, the German Spring Offensive of 1918 forced a change in British Army policy, and Alexander was sent back to France. Serving with the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders as a lance corporal, he was wounded in early October 1918 and evacuated to Étaples. His wound became septic, and he died on 25 October 1918, 6 days before his 19th birthday and just 17 days before the Armistice. He is buried in Étaples Military Cemetery.
Together, the Prentice brothers represent the full arc of the Great War: early enthusiasm, grim endurance, survival against the odds, and heartbreaking loss. Their stories of courage, endurance and tragedy have greatly influenced my interest in the Great War and have been the primary inspiration behind my research and writing.
The true story of the Prentice brothers’ experiences during the Great War is told in Five Long Years, a work of narrative non-fiction that I hope to publish in the future.
The video was prepared by me several years ago, and commemorates Tom, Walter and Alex, as well as three other young men from their hometown of Cambuslang, in Lanarkshire, Scotland.