Drury | William | | | William Drury was born in Burton, Staffordshire on 19 June 1876, the son of William Frederick Drury, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Burton, and Elizabeth Hannah Drury. He was baptised by his father on 12 July 1876. Educated at Christ’s Hospital, 1885-92, he then attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge where he gained a B.A. in 1898, and the following year he attended Ridley Hall, Theological College, Cambridge and was ordained a Deacon. Serving as the Curate of St. Thomas’s, Birmingham, 1899-1901, he was ordained a Priest at Worcester in 1900. During 1901-04 he was employed as an Acting Chaplain to the Forces in South Africa. He was then posted as Chaplain to the Forces at Woolwich, 1905-08, gaining a M.A. in 1906; Singapore, 1908-11; Aldershot, 1912-13 and Crownhill, 1913-14.
With the outbreak of war, he served with the B.E.F., 1914-17, being Assistant to the Principal Chaplain B.E.F., 1914-15 and Deputy Chaplain General, 1916-18. For his wartime services he was awarded the Military Cross and three times mentioned in despatches. Drury was then appointed Chaplain to the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, 1918-23 and then Chaplain at Shorncliffe, 1923-25. After attachment to the Office of the Diocese of Cantabury, 1925-26, he was appointed Curate of Storrington, 1926-27, after which he was appointed Rector of Binstead in the Diocese of Chichester. He died at Binstead Rectory on 24 October 1943.
MC (GV), QSA (3) CC Tr SA02 (Rev CtoF), 1914 Star (Rev ACD), BWM, VM with MID (Rev). DNW Jun 2007 £1,500 | Army Chaplain's Department |