Part 148

=PANNELL, WILLIAM FRANCIS=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4661), 307771, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PANTLAND, ROBERT WILLIAM=, Pensioner, Ch. E.R.A., 118003, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=PARAGREEN, FREDERICK ARTHUR=, Gunner, R.M.A. (R.F.R., I.C. 41), 10860, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARDOE, HARRY JAMES=, Boy, 1st Class, J. 26738 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=PARFITT, HERBERT EDWARD=, No. 725, 2nd Class Air Mechanic, Royal Flying Corps; killed while acting as Pilot to 2nd Lieut. E. W. C. Perry on a B.E. 8 machine at Amiens, 16 Aug. 1914. Buried in the Cemetery at St. Acheuil.

=PARHAM, FREDERICK=, Leading Stoker, C.G., 286907, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKE, WALTER EVELYN=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. Durham L.I., 2nd _s._ of Lieut.-Col. Lawrence Parke, of Moreton Heath, Moreton, co. Dorset, 7th Hampshire Regt., late Durham L.I., by his wife, Evelyn, dau. of the late T. Evans Lees; _b._ Wimborne, co. Dorset; educ. Swanage (Mr. Pellatt) and Winchester College; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the Durham L.I., 16 Aug. 1911, and promoted Lieut. 5 Aug. 1914; went to France, Sept. 1914, and was killed in action at Hazebrouck, 13 Oct. following, while acting as Machine Gun Officer; _unm._ Buried near Hazebrouck. Lieut. Parke was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. [London Gazette, 17 Feb.] 1915. While at Winchester he was captain of the Cricket XI.

=PARKER, ARTHUR=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17068, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARKER, BASIL STEWART=, Capt., 2nd Battn. The Hampshire Regt., eldest _s._ of the late Rev. George Parker, Rector of Quainton, co. Bucks, and Tickencote, co. Rutland, by his wife, Elizabeth Maria Hislop (47, Sea Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth), dau. of the late John Lorimer, of Edinburgh; _b._ Oxford, 2 July, 1878; educ. Oxford Preparatory School and Bedford Grammar School. He served through the South African War, first with the Imperial Yeomanry, and afterwards in the Hampshire Regt., to which he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 27 July, 1901. He took part in the operations in Cape Colony, North of the Orange River, May, 1900, and in those in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. 1900 to 31 May, 1902, receiving the Queen’s medal with two clasps, and the King’s medal with two clasps, and was promoted Lieut. 20 Aug. 1904, and Capt. 12 June, 1909. From March, 1906–09 he was Adjutant of his Battn., and from 1912–13 held a similar appointment in the Mounted Infantry in South Africa. In 1911, at Harrismith, he was a member of the 2nd M.I. Polo Team which won the Inter-Coy. Polo Cup. When the Dardanelles Expedition was organised the 2nd Hants. formed part of the 29th Division, which did such splendid work, that it became to be known as the “Old Guard of the Army.” He left England with his regt. 20 March, 1915, and took part in the first attack on 25 April. His Coys. W and X, under Major Leigh, landed about 10 a.m. that morning, from boats on W beach, and proceeded to the first ridge and there took up a position, where they stopped practically the whole day covering the other regts. landing. His Commanding Officer writing home on 30 April said: “Basil Parker is going strong, he is doing orderly runner for me as we have not got our horses yet; he did splendidly.” And on 1 May, Capt. Parker wrote: “What we call a quiet day, and only being shelled. It is a glorious day, sitting in the trenches, and a gentle trickle of sand falling on you all the time. We moved yesterday into reserve, but at 4 a.m. were sent back into the firing line. So much for our rest cures out here. This life seems to suit me. I never felt better in my life. Reveille at 4 a.m. and bed at 8 p.m. daily. I drink unlimited tea, no sugar or milk in it, and biscuits; can’t get bread at any price. I am as filthy as I feel, black with dust and exposure. We still wear caps. Isn’t it sad about the Col. and Deane; they were both shot dead, not wounded. I have to write early here as we neither have electric light or candles in this trench, and go to bed and rise with the sun”: and the following day: “We had a vile night, an attack which lasted from 10.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. to-day. As usual we have caught it fairly hot. Leigh and Reid were both killed during the night, and three more subs. were wounded to-day. We were under awful shrapnel fire to-day in the open. I feel a bit more filthy than usual; have not had my clothes or boots off for fourteen days.” He was wounded in the head on 6 May, or as he puts it, “Got myself into trouble yesterday, and got a bullet in my head, or very near it. It came in absolutely in the centre of my cap (was fired from the right), and came out where the top of the cap and the part that fits your head joins. I have had luck, because on its way through it took a piece out of my head like a cheese scoop down to the bone without damaging the skull. I could not at first make out what had happened. I felt a huge bang on the head, as if a polo ball had hit me, and asked the man next me, ‘What on earth is that?’ ‘You’re hit on the head, sir.’ It began to bleed badly, so I went back a little and got it tied up with the dressing you had sewn in my coat. I was hit at noon, but commanded my company till dark.” He was able to rejoin on 3 July, and after being continuously in action since landing, the 2nd Hants were sent to Lemnos for rest and refreshment on 7 July. Here they were joined by fresh drafts and returned to Gallipoli on 28 July, about 900 strong. They remained “on the beach” eight days and then moved up to the front trenches--the intention being to create a diversion in the Southern part of the peninsula whilst a new attack was made at Suvla Bay, six or seven miles to the north. The 2nd Hants were told on the evening of 5 Aug. that they would go up next day, and all were in excellent spirits. Cooks were sent on to prepare food, etc., and at 5.30 a.m. on Aug. 6 the advance began, the force going up the communication trenches, and the distance from the front trench being about three or four miles, and Achi Baba being about three-quarters mile distant. The trenches were close to the village of Krithia and very near the great Gully. By 7 a.m. the 2nd Hants had occupied three lines of trenches, having on their right the 4th Worcesters, and on their left the 1st Essex. The front Turkish trench ran forward at an angle and was about 50 yards distant on the left and 100 yards more on the right. The space between the opposing trenches was swept by gun fire from a distance, as well as from the trenches themselves. It was known that an attack on the Turkish trenches would be made at 4 p.m., and until that time many of the force rested. The General sent up an encouraging message to the Hants saying that this would be the last time he would call upon them to make a great charge. Exactly at 4 p.m. Capt. Parker, who was in command, called out: “Time’s up, my lads,” and those in the first trench immediately leapt out, those in the second at once taking their places and leaping out a minute later, and those in the third doing the same. All were well up in a good deal less then five minutes, and with a cheer they rushed forward. It was a glorious charge, and every one showed splendid courage. The Turks were startled, and took a minute or two--not much more--to get their machine-guns (of which they had one for about every five yards, and which during the bombardment they had hidden in the trenches) into position, so that our men got some way across the open space. Apparently, however, none reached the Turkish trench. All were mown down. Of the second line, a few got across. Of the third line, which had fewer men, more than half got through, and those who were left of the battn. held the trench until they were relieved by the Royal Scots and Royal Fusiliers. A private said positively that the Turks were driven from their front trench which remained in our hands, as perhaps did some others. The open ground was so heavily swept by gun fire that it was impossible to bring in the wounded or the dead, even at night. Some may have crawled in, but the severely wounded must have died. As none could be recovered and identified, they were posted as missing. In the evening of the 6th only 250 out of 900 of the Hants answered their names. It was in this action that Capt. Parker was killed about 4 p.m. He had gone forward out of the trench to direct a portion of the line and was hit by a bullet in the left side; the bullet coming out near the left breast was deflected by his cigarette case and again entered his body and came out on his right side. He died four minutes afterwards with his head resting on the leg of a lieutenant. He was brought back to the dressing station, and buried at 7.10 a.m. on the following morning in C. Communicating trench between the firing line and twelve tree copse. He never spoke after he was hit, and was unconscious until he died. He was carried to his last resting-place by men of the Battn. he had commanded, and in which he was so much liked. A cross made by the Royal Engineers marks the spot. Capt. Parker _m._ at St. George’s Cathedral, Cape Town, 5 April, 1913, Kathleen Lambert (“Lausanne,” Leigh Road, Cobham, Surrey), dau. of Lawrence Newman-Walker of Cape Colony, M.D., F.R.C.S., and had a son, Gerald Stewart, _b._ Indore, Central India, 3 April, 1914.

=PARKER, BERTIE CLARENCE=, A.B., J. 10893, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKER, CHARLES WILLIAM=, Private, R.M.L.I. (R.F.R.), Ch. 12829, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=PARKER, CYRIL EDMUND=, 2nd Lieut., 6th (Reserve), attd. 2nd Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, eldest _s._ of the Hon. Edmund William Parker, of Westfield House, Rugby, by his wife, Fanny Emma, dau. of Capt. William Baldwin, of Dunedin, and grandson of Thomas Augustus, 6th Earl of Macclesfield; _b._ Christchurch, New Zealand, 15 May, 1884; educ. Eton, and on leaving there joined the London Stock Exchange in 1903, where he remained for 10 years; went to British Columbia in 1913, and became a Financial Agent at Vancouver, British Columbia, but on the outbreak of the European War in Aug. 1914, immediately proceeded to Vancouver and volunteered for Imperial service. He obtained a commission in the 6th Regt., the Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles, Vancouver, and proceeded to Valcartier with the detachment from that regt. which, with detachments from other regts. from the same province, eventually formed the 1st British Columbia Regt., Canadian Expeditionary Force. Lieut. Parker qualified for the rank of Lieut. while at Valcartier, but owing to there being a surplus of officers in the regt., he could not be placed, all the others being senior to him. He came over with the first contingent in Oct. and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 6th Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 23 Nov. following; went to France in Dec. with a draft for the 2nd Battn., and was killed in action at Cuinchy, 1 Jan. 1915, in an attack on the German trenches; _unm._

=PARKER, ERNEST ALBERT=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 10532), S.S. 2799, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARKER, FRANK VIRLAND=, Chief Petty Officer, 154010, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARKER, FREDERICK JOHN BUSH=, Private, No. 13215, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, only _s._ of the Rev. Frederick Talbot Parker, Vicar of Knowle, Bristol, by his wife, Marion Einene, dau. of Edward Thomas, of Bristol, Solicitor; _b._ Bristol, 14 Aug. 1896; educ. Clifton College; enlisted after the outbreak of war, in Sept. 1914; went to France, April, 1915; and was killed in action at Givenchy, 8 Aug. 1915. Buried in the Guards Cemetery there.

=PARKER, FREDERICK NEVILLE=, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, yst. _s._ of the late Major-General Neville Fraser Parker, of Craymead, High View Road, Sidcup, co. Kent, Indian Army, by his wife, Emily Annie, dau. of Richard Abbatt; _b._ Torquay, 8 Nov. 1892; educ. Elizabeth College, Guernsey; volunteered and joined the Artists Rifles on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; went to France with them 27 Oct. 1914, was selected for a commission and gazetted 2nd Lieut., K.R.R.C., 3 March, 1915; and was accidentally killed at Bethune, 28 April, following, while in charge of trench mortars; _unm._ Buried in Bethune Civil Cemetery.

=PARKER, HARRY BOTTOMLEY=, Ship’s Petty Officer, 307254, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKER, JOHN=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5701), 204310, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKER, JOHN WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 3135), S.S. 100777, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKER, JOSEPH=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 1024), 145222, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARKER, HARRY=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Hampshire Regt., eldest and only surviving _s._ of Capt. and Quarter-Master Henry John Porteus Parker, The Worcestershire Regt., by his wife, Kate, dau. of Henry Stubbs; _b._ Limerick, 25 June, 1889; educ. Army Schools; enlisted in the Worcestershire Regt. in 1903, and at the time war was declared in Aug. 1914 was Sergt., 4th Battn. of that regt., and employed as Assistant Instructor of Signalling; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the Hampshire Regt., 7 Nov. 1914; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915, and died on the Hospital ship Delta, 30 April, 1915, of wounds received in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula two days previously; _unm._

=PARKER, ROBERT BURTON=, Capt., 2nd, attd. 1st Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., only _s._ of the late Robert Parker, of Cressington Park, Liverpool, Merchant, by his wife, Emma Catherine, dau. of James Rawlence, of Bulbridge House, Wilton, Salisbury; _b._ Cressington afsd., 3 July, 1879; educ. St. Edward’s School, Oxford, and Wellington College; joined the Montgomeryshire Imperial Yeomanry in Feb. 1900, and was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the Northamptonshire Regt. 27 July, 1901, and promoted Lieut. 14 Aug. 1903, and Capt. 14 Feb. 1910; served in the South African War, 1900–2, being attd. to the Army Service Corps, and was mentioned in despatches, and received the Queen’s medal with three clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. On his return to England he was adjutant of the Mounted Infantry and in command of Maxim guns at Borden and Longmoor; went to the Depôt in Northampton, 1907–10, and was then Adjutant of the local Territorials there for three years, after which he rejoined his old regt. at Alexandria. On the outbreak of the European War he was on leave in England; exchanging into the 1st Battn. he went to France with the first Division, 12 Aug. 1914; served through the retreat from Mons, and was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne, 17 Sept. 1914, while leading his men in an attack on the German trenches; _unm._ He was buried near the village of Bourg, on the Aisne. His Col. wrote: “He was the most gallant man I ever met, he did not know what fear was. He was greatly loved by all ranks and a most able and energetic officer, always thinking of the comfort of others”; and a Sergt. of his regt.: “We shall never forget him; he was a brave fellow, absolutely fearless, and beloved by his men. It was grand to serve under an officer like him.” During his residence at Northampton, Capt. Parker was a regular follower of the Pytchley Hounds, and his brilliant horsemanship will not readily be forgotten by the members of the hunt.

=PARKER, RONALD ELPHINSTONE=, Lieut., D Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, yst. _s._ of Robert Gabbett Parker, of Bally Valley, Killaloe, co. Clare, J. P., by his wife, Louisa, dau. of John C.... Whitty, of Broadwater Down, Tunbridge Wells; _b._ Bally Valley, aforesaid, 5 Jan. 1886; educ. The Abbey, Tipperary, and Clifton College; joined the Clare Artillery Militia, 11 Feb. 1905; gazetted 2nd Lieut., Royal Artillery, 25 May, 1907, and posted to the 87th Howitzer Battery; promoted Lieut., 25 May, 1910; went to France, 16 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at the Battle of the Marne, 8 Sept. following. Four guns of D Battery, R.H.A., were supporting the 3rd Cavalry Brigade in the advance to the Marne. The Germans brought back some 12 guns against them, but the battery held its ground, and eventually the enemy drew off. The battery lost its Major, wounded, and both its subalterns, killed. He was _unm._, and was buried at the Hotel de Bois, Jonarre, Meaux. His brigade commander wrote: “He died like a man, fighting his guns at great odds to the last.” The officer commanding his R.H.A. battery wrote: “He was indefatigable, undaunted even in the darkest moments; his good temper and high spirits were worth anything to us all”; and the officer commanding his R.F.A. battery: “In 20 years I have never met a better subaltern and a keener sportsman, in both of which capacities he won my complete respect and affection, as he did that of every man or horse that came into his care.” Lieut. Parker excelled at all field sports and was a fine horseman and whip.

=PARKES, CHARLES=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5224), 203456, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARKES, SAMUEL=, Private, No. 13627, 4th Battn. Worcestershire Regt., eldest _s._ of Private Henry Parkes, of the North Staffordshire Regt. (now on home defence work at Southampton), by his wife, Emily Louisa (21, Reform Street, West Bromwich), dau. of Samuel Southern; _b._ West Bromwich, 18 Oct. 1897; educ. Christ Church School there; entered the employ of Messrs. Salters at West Bromwich when he was 14; volunteered on the outbreak of war and enlisted in the 4th Worcesters, 7 Aug. 1914, with several others from Salters; served in Malta and Egypt; went to the Dardanelles, 7 July, and was killed in action there, 7 Aug. 1915; _unm._

=PARR, ARTHUR=, Leading Stoker, R.F.R., B. 6439, 287527, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=PARR, CECIL=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ply./10884, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARR, SYDNEY LANGFORD=, L.-Corpl., No. 2845, 12th Battn. (The Rangers) The London Regt., only _s._ of Thomas Parr, of 8, Vernon Gardens, Seven Kings, N., by his wife, Caroline; _b._ Manor Park, East Ham, 8 Jan. 1891; educ. East Ham, Technical College; enlisted, Sept. 1914; went to France, 28 Jan. 1915, and died of wounds at St. Julien, 26 April, 1915.

=PARRETT, CHARLES ERNEST=, A.B. (R.F.R, Ch. B. 8951), 203270, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARRISS, WALTER FREDERICK=, 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. Middlesex Regt. (Duke of Cambridge’s Own), yst. _s._ of the late John William Parriss, of Ardagh, Willesden Lane, N.W.; _b._ Ardagh afsd., 17 Nov. 1893; educ. Harrow School; joined the H.A.C. on the outbreak of war, 11 Aug. 1914, and served with them with the Expeditionary Force in France from 18 Sept. until he received a commission, 14 Feb. 1915. He was killed in action in Flanders, while holding an advanced trench, 15 March, 1915; _unm._ Buried at Kemmel. His Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. Stephenson (since killed), wrote of him: “He was so willing, so ready to do anything, so brave, so keen, that we shall miss him very much, although he has been so short a time with us ... a gallant boy, with all the courage of his race.”

=PARRY, ARTHUR CROOSE=, Private, No. 2322, Honourable Artillery Company, 3rd _s._ of William Rowland Parry, of Ladye Grove, near Leominster, and grandson of the late Thomas Croose Parry, of Birley Court, co. Hereford; _b._ Lye Court, Birley, 16 March, 1888; educ. King’s School, Grantham; joined the H.A.C. after the outbreak of war 4 Sept. 1914; went to France, Dec. 1914, and was killed in action near Ypres, 12 March, 1915; _unm._ Buried in the Chateau Grounds at Kemmel.

=PARRY, JAMES HERBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 2976), S.S. 100333, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARRY, NORMAN CECIL=, Lieut., 1st Battn. York and Lancaster Regt., yst. _s._ of Edward Parry, of Rossmore, Leamington, formerly of Woodthorpe Grange, Nottingham, a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, by his wife, Mary Elizabeth; _b._ Nottingham, 19 Sept. 1887; educ. Rugby, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he passed the Natural Science Tripos in Honours; afterwards obtaining a Diploma in Mining Engineering at the Sheffield University, and First Class Certificate as a Colliery Manager from the Home Office, and was an Assistant of Mr. Maurice Deacon, M.Inst.C.E., Managing Director of the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Coy. Immediately on the outbreak of war he joined the Army; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 15 Aug. 1914, and Lieut. to the 3rd (Reserve) Battn. 2 Feb. 1915, being afterwards attd. to the 1st Battn.; went to the Front early in March, 1915, and was killed in action at Ypres, 25 July, 1915, by the bursting of a shell, while he was endeavouring to get his men under cover, during a sudden attack upon his section of the trenches; _unm._ He was buried in the churchyard of St. Jean, Ypres.

=PARSONS, CHARLES FRANCIS=, Private, No. 3769 D Coy. 1/7th. Battn. Middlesex Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of the late William Henry Parsons, by his wife, Sarah (54, Graham Road, Wealdstone, Middlesex), dau. of George Tillay; _b._ Haggerston, London, 4 May, 1893; educ. Wealdstone; was a Piano Polisher; joined the Middlesex Territorials about 1909; mobilised, 5 Aug. 1914, and volunteered for Imperial Service; went to France in Jan. 1915, and was killed in action at Larbartier, 24 July, 1915; _unm._

=PARSONS, EDWARD JOSEPH=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 3656), 201013, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=PARSONS, EDWIN STUART THOMAS=, Petty Officer (N.S.), 219856, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARSONS, WILLIAM=, Leading Stoker (C.G.), 311114, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=PARSONS, WILLIAM HARRY=, Petty Officer, 1st Class (O.S.), 183802, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.