Eddie Castling & Andrew O’Sullivan have provided the following:
Born 14/7/1888
In 1903, lived at 94 Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham
Father, Matthew Pringle Balmer, was a house builder/contractor, Mother Elizabeth Balmer.
The company was called Pringle Balmer and Sons 1893 – 1918. Pringle was a family name going back several generations.
His wife Elizabeth had at least 9 children.
Pringle was admitted to Durham Johnston School on 28/04/1903, aged 14
On leaving school, Pringle was a bank clerk with Liverpool and Midland Bank.
He joined 5th Btn DLI (Regt no 181216) as a Private and worked his way up the ranks to 2nd Lieutenant, getting his commission on 27/11/1917. He first entered the war in Egypt on 22/12/1915, then served on Western Front.
The 5th Btn Durham Light Infantry suffered heavy losses in early 1918 from the last German offensive of the war and by July the losses were so high the Battalion was reduced to cadre strength.
2nd Lt. Pringle died 27/5/1918, aged 29 at Aisne, France (same day as Andrew Norman Brown also from Durham School)
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Pringle Balmer is remembered at Houghton-le-Spring on H132.01 at Stockton on S138.35 and in Durham on D47.025
He is also remembered in the DLI Book of Remembrance page 131
