Tag Archives: enteritis

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Private Wallace Parsons

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Private Wallace Parsons

Wallace Waterman Parsons was born in the autumn of 1893 and was one of thirteen children. His parents were both Somerset-born, David and Mary Parsons, and it was in a small terraced house in Bampton Street, Minehead, that the family were raised.

David was a chimney sweep and by the time of the 1911 census, eight of the then household of nine people were earning a wage. Six of the Parsons children – ranging in age from 15 to 33 – were living with their parents, working variously as a chair caner, a labourer and a French polisher. Wallace, 17 years old by this point, was employed as a stone worker, presumably alongside his older brother, David, who was a mason.

When war came to European shores, at least two of the Parsons brothers enlisted. While full service records no longer exist, it is clear that Wallace joined the Somerset Light Infantry, and was attached to the 8th (Service) Battalion.

Private Parsons arrived in France on 11th October 1915, and may have been involved in the closing days of the Battle of Loos. Over the next year, he would have been caught up in the fighting at the Somme, but by the autumn of 1916, he had fallen ill and returned to Britain.

Whatever condition Wallace had contracted led to his discharge from the army: his final day in service was 19th December 1916. He was awarded a Silver Star for his service: this confirmed his honourable discharge, and he wore it to show that he had served his country and was not, in effect, a coward for walking the streets of his home town, while other sons, brothers and fathers were fighting for their country.

At this point, Wallace’s trail goes cold. It is likely that he returned home, but his health continued to dog him. He passed away from anaemia on 17th July 1920, at the age of 26 years old.

Wallace Waterman Parsons was laid to rest in the sweeping vista of Minehead Cemetery.

Wallace’s older brother Hubert also served in the Somerset Light Infantry. Attached to the 1st/5th Battalion, he fought in the Middle East and rose to the rank of Corporal. Hubert fell ill with enteritis, dying from the condition on 13th April 1916. He was laid to rest 3,500 miles (5632km) from home, in the Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.

Commonwealth War Graves, Gloucestershire, Great War, Gunner, history, illness, killed in action, photography, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Stanley Parry

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Gunner Stanley Parry

Stanley William Parry was born in the spring of 1890 in St George’s on the outskirts of Bristol, Gloucestershire. One of four children to Herbert and Susannah Parry, Stanley was a twin to brother Roland. Herbert was a commercial clerk for a chemical manufacturer, and this afforded the Parry boys a level of education, with both Roland and Stanley attended the Colston Endowed School in Bristol.

Tragically, Susannah had died when Stanley and Roland were just 3 years old: their younger brother, Wilfred, had died the year before, when just a babe-in-arms. By the time of the 1911 census, Herbert had moved the family to Portishead. He was still working as a clerk, while both of the twins were employed as insurance clerks. Their older brother, Edwin, was also a clerk, in the docks at Bristol, and Herbert had employed a live-in housekeeper, Mary Govier, to look after him and his sons.

When war came to Europe, both Stanley and Roland enlisted. The two of them joined the Royal Field Artillery as Gunners. While full service records are not available, Stanley was assigned to the 40th Trench Mortar Battery, while Roland became attached to A Battery of the 240th Brigade.

Stanley was serving in France in the summer of 1916, when he became ill.

The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon, at Portishead Cemetery, of Gunner Stanley Wm Parry, who… died at Mile End Hospital, London, on September 19th. The deceased, who was 27 years of age, was always somewhat delicate in health, but was anxious to serve his King and country, and joined the [Royal Field Artillery]. He was brought to London from France on the previous Saturday suffering from enteritis, and although he lived until his father reached him, he died shortly after. He was the third son of Mr HC Parry… whose two other sons are also serving, one in France and the other in Egypt.

Bristol Times and Mirror: Monday 25th September 1916

Gunner Stanley William Parry was laid to rest in Portishead Cemetery, just a short distance from the family home.

Gunner Stanley Parry
(from findagrave.com)

Roland continued to serve his country in France, but tragedy was to strike the family once more.

Mr HC Parry… has received the sad intelligence that his son, Rowland G Parry [sic], of the [Royal Field Artillery], was killed in action on the 17th September. A letter from deceased’s officer stated that Gunner Parry was returning to the battery when a shell burst on the track, killing deceased instantaneously, death being absolutely painless. The letter further states that Gunner Parry had been a very valuable member of the battery, and will be missed by them all. Gunner Parry was the second of Mr Parry’s three sons to lay down his life in the great fight, a twin brother having died in a military hospital in London last year. The other son, the eldest, is serving in Palestine.

Bristol Times and Mirror: Saturday 29th September 1917

Roland George Parry was 28 years of age when he died. He was laid to rest in the Vlamertinghe New Military Semetery, in Ypres.

Gunner Roland Parry
(from findgrave.com)

Herbert Parry passed away in the summer of 1920, at the age of 62. He had outlived three of his sons, as well as being a widower for 27 years. He was laid to rest in Portishead Cemetery with his son Stanley.

Edwin Parry, Stanley and Roland’s older brother, had returned from the First World War by the summer of 1919. He resumed his work as a clerk at the docks in Bristol, and married schoolteacher Annie Homewood in August 1919. They went on to have three children, Barbara, Gwladys and Roland. Edwin died in September 1959, at the age of 71 years old.