Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Thiepval Memorial, Picardie | Pier and Face 10 D. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.131 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 46D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of John and Eliza Matilda Parsons, of 32, Calverton Rd., East Ham, London.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 10th Battalion The Essex Regiment |
10th (Service) Battalion Formed at Warley in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 53rd Brigade in 18th (Eastern) Division. Moved to Shorncliffe and then Colchester, going on to Codford St Mary in May 1915. 26 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne |
| Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 |
The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.
He had previously served 12 years in the 2nd battalion and came back from India in 1915, to re-enlist.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Power Palmer No. 2924 E.C. | Burma |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
7th January 1915 | 4th March 1915 | 1st April 1915 |
Listed as a 28 year old Sanitary Inspector, resident at Rangoon at the time of initiation in 1915. The contribution record shows "Killed in Action May 1917," which is very much at odds with the linked casualty date of death.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley