▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁ 3 0 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade , ▁and ▁in ▁August ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 9 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade ; ▁both ▁of ▁these ▁units ▁were ▁station ed ▁in ▁Britain . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁Prior - Pal mer ▁was ▁put ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Arm oured ▁Brigade ▁in ▁Italy ; ▁this ▁involved ▁heavy ▁fighting . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁his ▁brig ade ▁made ▁a ▁particularly ▁effective ▁contribution ▁to ▁fighting ▁around ▁the ▁Sav io ▁River . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Order . ▁ ▁Entry ▁to ▁Parliament ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁Prior - Pal mer ▁was ▁adopted ▁as ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁candidate ▁for ▁Wor thing , ▁a ▁new ▁constitu ency ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁created ▁in ▁boundary ▁changes ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁election . ▁He ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁retired ▁pay ▁by ▁the ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁with ▁the ▁honor ary ▁rank ▁of ▁Brig ad ier . ▁ ▁In ▁Parliament , ▁Prior - Pal mer ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁by ▁voting ▁( al ong ▁with ▁many ▁back ben ch ▁Conserv ative ▁MP s ) ▁against ▁the ▁large ▁loan ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁which ▁the ▁Labour ▁government ▁had ▁negoti ated ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁L end - Le ase . ▁However , ▁these ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁diss ent ing ▁votes ▁he ▁ever ▁cast ▁against ▁the ▁Conserv