大象传媒

Musician John Prior from Leigh was called up two weeks after his 18th birthday, in December 1944. After initial training at Ballykinla, near the Mountains of Morn, he went into the Royal Army Medical Corps and for the next 18 weeks trained as a nurse until the RAMC Number One Big Band discovered his prowess as a drummer. 鈥淭hey wanted me to play percussion and tubular bells. Then they wanted my signature on a form which would have involved me signing on for five years. I refused and they kicked me out 鈥� it was back to nursing.鈥�
It was also back to a more regimented lifestyle. At Netley Hospital, Southampton, John worked as a nursing orderly until he contracted dermatitis. Unable to go back on the ward, he was given further training to become a clerical assistant. In the meantime, he had formed a band and someone important heard them play. 鈥淲e did an audition for George Black, a famous impresario of the time and we went into Stars in Battledress, the Army equivalent of ENSA,鈥� John recalled.
鈥淭hey sent me to London and the sergeant in charge of stores turned out to be [actor] Terry-Thomas. I asked where my digs would be and he said I had to find my own and bring the bill in. I stayed at a YMCA hostel. I bet he didn鈥檛鈥︹��
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John鈥檚 soldiering career having been suspended, his musical career began to flourish when the conductor, Eddie Hooper, took ill. He went from drumming, at the back of the band, to fronting it, at the age of 20. 鈥淭he band manager sent for me. There was a white suit hanging up and it was made clear to me that if I didn鈥檛 get into it I鈥檇 go back to being a soldier.鈥�
Like his bandleader son Andy Prior, John took naturally to the baton, but more was in store. 鈥淪ingers used to come out to perform with us and Win Henderson of the Henderson Twins arrived. She told me I had to sing with her. It was shock news but I did it 鈥� we sang Open the Door, Richard. That鈥檚 when I started singing鈥�
It was while he was touring army bases in England that John first met his future wife. 鈥淏ruce Trent, the regular vocalist, went off sick and they sent a replacement from Italy. 鈥淪he was called Penny Sinclair, she was an army driver, and she could drive anything on two to eight wheels.鈥� Was it love at first sight? 鈥淣o, she hated me at first.鈥� Having finally got together, they were temporarily parted when Penny was demobbed.
Meanwhile, stationed in Germany and Austria with Combined Services Entertainment, John appeared in various shows, including pantomime, once acting as understudy to comedian Joe Baker.
After the war ended, the show still went on for John Prior, who didn鈥檛 receive his demob papers until the following year. It was then that he was called on for the most important work he ever did as a soldier.

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鈥淲e were in Vienna and for a week, six of us were required to guard German prisoners day and night, who were being tried for war crimes. 鈥淎t night we were only allowed to give them a blanket 鈥� nothing to sleep in 鈥� in case they tried to kill themselves before the trial. All of them blamed the camp commandant and he was unrepentant.
鈥淎 barrister and chief of police came from England. At the end of the week, when five of them had been sentenced to death and one was sent to an asylum, the authorities sent for Albert Pierrepoint, the executioner.
鈥淲e had to measure and weigh the prisoners for him. The commandant鈥檚 wife and two sons arrived after he was sentenced and she asked that her sons be allowed to see their father before he was put to death, but the answer, from a man younger than me, was no. I thought they could have done it for the sake of the boys.鈥�
Both barrister and police chief went to see John Prior in his show before returning to England. Shortly afterwards, he received six photographs of the courtroom taken during the trial, with the message: 鈥淗ope you enjoyed our little show as much as we enjoyed yours.鈥�

After the war, John and South Wales-born Penny settled in Leigh where she eventually became a district nurse. As a result of his wartime experience, her husband led the Johnny Prior Orchestra at the town鈥檚 Casino Ballroom, five nights a week for 14 years. On Saturday evenings, shows were recorded live for the 大象传媒 and John shared a half-hour Light Programme show with world-famous music broadcaster Edmundo Ross. On Sundays, for 22 years, he was choirmaster of the Plank Lane Methodist Church.

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