Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

New CWGC Commemoration


Terry Denham

Recommended Posts

CWGC added the following WW1 casualty to the Debt of Honour database today.

Capt Howard Roderick PARKES

Royal Garrison Artillery

Died 28.05.20 Age 42

Buried: Molesey Cemetery, Surrey, UK

NOT FORGOTTEN

This case was put forward by IFCP on behalf of Nigel Searle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

REMEMBERED :poppy:

Thanks to IFCP, and Terry in particular for getting Captain Parkes accepted for inclusion in the CWGC Debt of Honour Register

NigelS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May He Rest In Peace

Whats the story Nigel?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in the summer I visited Molesey Cemetery to take a photo of a Seaforth Highlander’s grave for Pal 'Sfarrell' (Stuart) see Click, and, looking around as one does, came across Parkes’ grave nearby which carries the inscription:

to the sacred memory



of

Howard Roderick Parkes, [Hardie]

dearly loved husband of

Ada Louisa Parkes,

who passed from this world

on May 28th 1920, from illness

contracted on active service in

France two years previously aged 42

post-5512-038250900 1290173257.jpg

post-5512-070992400 1290173214.jpg

Although his death was within the cut-off date, investigation showed that there was no CWGC record for him. however, there was an obituary in The Times which gave the illness as ‘gas poisoning’. A copy of the death certificate made no mention of this, but did give the cause of death as ‘Pulmonary Tuberculosis’ which, as no other information was given, might not have been war service related. I had previously contacted Terry Denham about the possibility of a ‘non–com’ and he advised that although there was the strong possibility that the TB might have been due to war service it would be necessary to establish a firm link in order to achieve a CWGC commemoration. Fortunately Parkes’ service record is at the NA and a visit there established that he had a history of TB in the latter part of the war and, after failing a medical board as a result of it, was forced (from a telegram on file, very much against his wishes) to relinquish his commission and that subsequently, because of this, his family was allowed exemption from death duties with the following given in a letter to the Inland Revenue from the War Department:

I am to acquaint you that the deceased relinquished his Commission on the 23rd March, 1919, on account of ill-health contracted on active service, and died on the 28th May, 1920, and that the Army Medical Authorities consider that the disease from which he died, viz: “Pulmonary tuberculosis” was contracted whilst he was subject to Military Law and within three years of his death.

A copy of a telegram sent by Parkes, who couldn’t have been in the best of health at the time having recently failed a medical board, to the War Office giving his reluctance to resign his commission and requesting it be withheld (subsequently refused), possibly gives an indication of his character (and probably that of many others):

TO: SECRETARY WAR OFFICE WHITEHALL LONDON

REFFERING YOUR 166565/2 DATED 3RD INST INFORMING ME I AM TO BE GAZETTED OUT PLEASE REFER TO MY TWO LETTERS OF APPEAL TO DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES I AM UNWILLING TO RELINQUISH COMMISSION BUT WISH TO APPEAL AGAINST SIGNING OF MEDICAL BOARD I REQUEST MY NAME BE WITH HELD FROM GAZETTE PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS HOWARD RODERICK PARKES AT WARDLEY STUDLAND DORSET

From his service & various other records (including Wikipedia which I was surprised to discover has an entry for him in connection with his cricketing career Click ) I've managed to piece together a bit more about his life which I've attempted to summarize for anyone that might be interested.

Born: 31st May 1877, Birmingham

Married: to Ada Louisa Cavendish (7th Oct. 1909)

Died: 28th May 1920 Fairlands, Studland, Dorset

Parents (Married: Aston Jul-Sep 1876): Howard Childs Parks, born c. 1847, Birmingham & Clara Rose Parks (nee Whittingham), born c. 1860, Birmingham.

Siblings: Ethelwynne Rose Parks; born 1879, E. Molesey (later Taylor; given as present at death on Howard Parkes' death certificate); Mildred Parkes; born 1881, E. Molesey; George Henry Parkes; born 1883, E. Molesey; Colin Egbert Parkes; born 1886, E. Molesey (also buried in the grave at Molesey)

Children: Betty M Parkes; born 26th Oct 1910 at Wymondly Bury, Nr. Hitchin, Herts; later married Cowie (1937); Grevis H Parkes; born 5th Nov 1913 at Wymondly Bury, Nr. Hitchin, Herts

Parkes was born in 1877 in Birmingham; the eldest child of Howard (an accountant) and Clara. By the time of the 1881 census the family had moved to Molesey with, from the 1891,1901 & 1911 censuses, the family living in the area in various properties during this time. From his service record and an obituary published in the 1920 Wisden’s Almanac, Parkes was a pupil at Uppingham School (as were his two brothers, George Henry & Colin Egbert) where he played for the school cricket XI in the years 1894-96. He attended Oxford university between 1897 and 1901 and represented it at hurdles against Cambridge, but, although he was trialled, failed to be selected for the cricket team; Between 1898 and 1901 he initially played first class cricket, for Warwickshire, and later London County. It appears that he then moved to Shanghai, China as evidenced by a record of him playing cricket for Shanghai against the Straits Settlements team in Hong Kong in November 1904 when he opened the batting, and in a London Gazette entry for February 1915 detailing his appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant to the General list which gives him as ‘late Trooper, Shanghai Light Horse’. There is evidence in The Times of July 13th 1908 that he – assuming that it is him - had returned to England as there is an ‘H.R. Parkes’ listed as representing Molesey BC in a Junior Sculls event at the Kingston-on-Thames Regatta of that year. He was certainly back in England by the end of 1909 when he married Louisa Ada Cavendish in London. An announcement in The Times gives that a daughter, Betty M, was born on the 26th January 1910 at Wymondly Bury, Nr. Stevenage, Hertfordshire; The 1911 census show the family still resident there with Howard’s occupation given as ‘Engineer’ (his parents are still listed as living in Molesey). The birth of a son, Grevis H, on 5th November 1913 was announced in The Times the following day.

His Service Record is held at the National Archives under WO 339/84322 and there are various entries relating to his military service in the London Gazette; his military service can be summarised as follows:

c. 1904 - ???

Trooper, Shanghai Light Horse (London Gazette)

2nd February 1915

Appointed second Lieutenant, General List, Territorial Force Reserve (
London Gazette
)

2nd August 1915

Appointed Lieutenant, General List, Territorial Force Reserve [service record gives Abroad: Shanghai 1904; Home: Territorial Force Reserve (TFR) Lieut. 2.8.15 – 27.6.16; Lieut. Royal Defence Corp (RDC) 28.6.16 – 23.11.16; Transfer to RGA T/Lieut. 24.11.16] (
London Gazette
& Service Record)

14th June 1916

Signed up for Imperial & General Service Obligation (Service Record)

24th November 1916

Appointed temporary Lieutenant with Royal Garrison Artillery (
London Gazette
)

16th May 1917

Embarked for BE Force (Folkestone – Bolougne); to RGA 169 Siege Battery (Service Record)

27th May 1917

Joined 169 S. Battery (Service Record)

20th Oct 1917

‘Adm 15 CMDS’ (Casualty Form, Service Record)

22nd Oct 1917

To Y Corps Rest Camp (Casualty Form, Service Record)

27th Oct 1917

Rejoined unit (Casualty Form, Service Record)

21st Nov – 5th Dec 1917

Leave to England (Casualty Form, Service Record)

7th December 1917

Rejoined Unit (Casualty Form, Service Record)

4th January 1918

Overseas Course [b.C’s (siege) Course at Lydd 7.1.18] (Casualty Form, Service Record)

6th February 1918

Rejoined from course (Casualty Form, Service Record)

21st March – 4th April 1918

Leave to UK via Boulogne (casualty Form, Service Record)

16th April 1918

‘To be a/Capt whilst 2nd in Command’ (Casualty Form, Service Record)

26th April 1918

Temporary Lieut to be temporary Captain with Royal Garrison Artillery (Service Record &
London Gazette
)

27th May 1918

admitted to No. 20 General hospital, Camieres with fever, aching limbs & headaches (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

4th June 1918

Invalided Home from France via Calais & Dover on ‘P&O’ Princess Elizabeth (Arrival Report etc., Service Record)

7th June 1918

Diagnosed P.U.O. [Pyrexia (fever) Unknown Origin] 1st E. General Hsp. Cambridge (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

15th June 1918

Re-boarded 1st E. General Hospital. Cambridge, in addition to PUO diagnosed with Pulmonary Tuberculosis (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

4th June – 15th November 1918

Leave period & recuperation; after leaving 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge moved to ‘Home Sanatorium, Southbourne near Bournemouth before returning home to complete treatment at Dairy Farm, Studland around June 26th

14th November 1918

Medical Board at Military Hospital Swanage: deemed Category B 'fit for service in garrison or labour unit abroad' & Category C 'Home Service:- active duty with troops' Parkes had advised the War Office that he considered himself fit enough to attend a medical board in a letter of the 29th of October (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

23rd November 1918

posted to No. 4 Siege Artillery Reserve Brigade, Aldershot (Service Record)

14th January 1919

Connaught Hospital, Aldershot: Pulmonary Tuberculosis diagnosed again,100% disabled; deemed as permanently unfit (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

3rd February 1919

Letter to CIC, Aldershot Command stating unfit for service and commission to be relinquished (Service Record)

18th March 1920

Ministry of Pensions: Medical Board report gives ‘pulmonary tuberculosis’, 100% disabled; permanently unfit for military service (Proceedings of Medical Board, Service Record)

23rd March 1919

Relinquishes commission on account of ill-health contracted on active service, retaining the rank of Captain (
London Gazette
& Service Record)

28th May 1920

Dies at Studland, Dorset; cause of death ‘Pulmonary Tuberculosis (Death Certificate) His obituary in
The Times
gives:
of illness ("gas poisoning") contracted on active service in France with R.G.A. battery 169.
(there is nothing in his Service Record that I noticed to indicate that he was gassed at any stage.)

19th April 1921

Letter relating to remission of death duties gives:
'I am to acquaint you that the deceased relinquished his commission on the 23rd March, 1919, on account of ill-health contracted on active service, and died on 28th May, 1920, and that the Army Medical Authorities consider that the disease from which he died,viz: “Pulmonary tuberculosis” was contracted whilst he was subject to Military Law and within three years of his death.'
(Service Record); Parkes’ Service Record indicate that the claim submitted for the remission of Death Duties was considered valid by the War Office and advised that this should be granted.

Although he was entitled to the Victory and British War Medal there does not appear to be a MIC for them, so it’s likely that they were never claimed by him or his family. There is a MIC which gives the reference ‘166565/2’ (his Service Record file number) and states ‘eligible 4/2/19’ (the day after the Medical Board which decided that he was no longer fit for service and that he should relinquish his commission) which probably relates to entitlement to the Silver War Badge, but no roll number is given

From a letter on file from Parkes (dated 26th June '18) his TB was initially treated at 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge and then at the 'Home Sanatorium', West Southbourne, Bournemouth. The superintendent there, in a separate letter of the same date, was happy to discharge him to allow his treatment to be continued at his Studland home with the suggestion that 'four months special leave' should be granted to allow it. A further letter to the War Office of the 15th July '18 requesting information as to how ration cards should be obtained gives that this leave period was between 4th June and 15th November 1918. In another letter from Studland of the 31st July 1918 Parkes' writes that he had been sent to the 'Home Sanatorium' through 'Lady Derby's organisation’, ‘where the Government was paying for me ' but, although discharged from there, he was being charged for return visits to the Doctor - a specialist in TB - which he was making every three weeks to enable his progress to be monitored, and he enquires as to whether this could be funded by the Government. Reading between the lines it looks as if the family might have been suffering financially as, earlier in the same letter,he asks for information on the procedures for making a claim for a '"gratuity" or "compensation" which I understand is granted for cases of tuberculosis as well as for cases of wounds.' In a response to this letter on his Service File he is advised that payments 'not exceeding £3. 3. 0. (three pounds, three shillings), per week in aid of his expenses on treatment under the conditions laid down in Army Council Instruction 1815 of 1917' could be claimed.

After his relapse and the Medical board at Connaught Hospital, Aldershot on the 14th January 1919 which sent him home, Parkes writes from Studland on the 30th January requesting that rather than taking a place in a sanatorium in East Anglia which had been offered, that he be granted two months leave to continue with treatment at home with a weekly sum awarded towards expenses. He advises that he considers his relapse as being due to a chill caught when he had been weakened by 'a lot of tooth trouble' which had prevented him from eating properly. At that time he reports that he had: 'Put on considerable weight & am very much better' and that he did not want to be demobilised or discharged. Further letters and a telegram (7th/8th Feb. 1919) request that he should not be 'gazetted' and appealed against the decision to discharge him. A reply from the War Office of the 17th March gives:

With reference to your telegram of 7th February 1919, appealing against the decision that you should relinquish your commission on account of ill-health, I am directed to inform you that your case has been submitted to the regulated Medical Authorities, who after careful consideration, have decided that in view of your medical history, no good purpose would be served by bringing you before another medical board. In view of this decision, the action indicated by War Office letter 166565/2. (M.S.4.E.) dated 3rd February 1919 will be immediately proceeded with.

The London Gazette of the 21st March 1919 carried the official notification of Parkes relinquishing his commission:

on account of ill-health contracted on active service, 23rd Mar. 1919, and retains the rank of Capt.’

NigelS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nigel

my thanks for posting his story

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rest in peace soldier boy, gone and no longer forgotten. poppy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...