domwalsh Posted 13 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2012 Neil, thanks for that. Steve - the only photo of Ned in uniform is the one you can see here in the thread. As far as his MM and MID are concerned, I can only offer the following: He had enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1916, serving for a period as a dispatch rider before being assigned to reconnaissance duties. He was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Military Medal for his gallant conduct during a series of missions. After his death, the officer who recommended him for the award wrote to one his brothers: "On many occasions he accompanied me during severe shelling and I always placed the greatest confidence in him." Thanks for your interest in my gallant great uncle. Gone but not forgotten... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneecorps Posted 13 March , 2012 Share Posted 13 March , 2012 A Great photo, with a very moving story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 3 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2012 Great uncle Ned seems to peer out of the newspapers almost every day amidst all the Titanic coverage. Also spotted this on a house in Belfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 8 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 April , 2012 I am delighted to say that I managed to get a piece on great uncle Ned into The Times yesterday http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3377251.ece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 8 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 8 April , 2012 For those without access behind the paywall, here is the piece: Published at 12:01AM, April 7 2012 Dominic Walsh It is one the most enduring images of the 20th century, indelibly linked to the maritime disaster that cost more than 1,500 lives and a century later still captures the public imagination. But the picture of a newspaper boy on a London street corner holding a poster announcing the sinking of the Titanic hides another, more private tragedy. Six years later, that newsboy — my great-uncle Ned — was killed in France only a few days before the end of the First World War. Edward John Parfett, who was 15 in the photograph, was born near Waterloo Station, the son of a scaffolder who had worked on the construction of Westminster Cathedral in the 1890s. The picture was taken on April 16, the day after the Titanic’s sinking, outside Oceanic House in Cockspur Street, where the White Star Line had its offices. To judge by the bystanders alongside him, sales of the Evening News must have been brisk that day. Although too young to join up when war came in 1914, two years later he answered the call of King and country and enlisted in the Royal Artillery. The story is told in the family that he served a period as a dispatch rider before being assigned to reconnaissance duties, working as a signaller under a forward observation officer. In 1918, he was mentioned in dispatches for his gallant conduct and, although he did not know it when he died, he had been recommended for the Military Medal. His officer, Lieutenant Percy Hunt, later wrote to Ned’s brother: “On many occasions he accompanied me during severe shelling and I always placed the greatest confidence in him.” Ned, after whom my father was named, was one of four brothers from Cornwall Road, Waterloo, who donned Army uniform, but he was the only one to die. One served in the disastrous Dardanelles landings in 1915, surviving to become part of the army of occupation in Germany. Another emerged unscathed from the Somme, only to be wounded and gassed at the third battle of Ypres. In October 1918 Ned was stationed at Verchain-Maugré, near Valenciennes, when he was given leave to return home which, as things turned out, would have meant he would have been in England when the Armistice was declared. But on October 29, when he was collecting a clean uniform for the journey home from the quartermaster’s stores, a shell dropped on the stores, killing Ned and two other soldiers — Gunner William Scott, a lad from Manchester, and Saddler Corporal Henry Strachan, a Scot who had married and moved to Plumstead. The three men lie buried next to each other in Verchain British Military Cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 8 April , 2012 Share Posted 8 April , 2012 A great piece. Thanks for posting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 11 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2012 Great uncle Ned also features on a Titanic Brewery beermat! Anyone know how to reduce a pdf file so I can upload? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 11 April , 2012 Share Posted 11 April , 2012 THANK YOU for posting the picture and the wonderful but tragic story behind it ..A moment of refection is called for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 15 April , 2012 Share Posted 15 April , 2012 Today seemed an appropriate time to move this thread to the Classics section. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 16 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2012 Neil - having the story of my great uncle Ned classified as a Classic Thread is a fitting tribute to a brave man. Heartfelt thanks. The image of Ned standing outside Oceanic House on this day 100 years ago still evokes powerful emotions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 30 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2012 I was offline yesterday, but was able to pause for thought to remember the sacrifice of my great uncle Ned Parfett, the Titanic newsboy, who died 94 years ago. Never forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 30 October , 2012 Share Posted 30 October , 2012 RIP Ned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon1314 Posted 14 November , 2012 Share Posted 14 November , 2012 I know it would be a story worth getting published in Many National Newspapers worldwide. This is my first Post on the site and this Life,Photo,Story of that young Man reminds me of how fortunate i am and how we all must try to "remember them." Very famous picture of the Titanics Lost Souls and now all the more special after hearing more about your great Uncle. Thankyou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 14 November , 2012 Share Posted 14 November , 2012 The image of Ned standing outside Oceanic House on this day 100 years ago still evokes powerful emotions Yes, it's one of the great images of the 20th century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshi1912 Posted 26 February , 2013 Share Posted 26 February , 2013 I echo the feelings of the other posts here. The story is very moving and you must be very proud of Ned. I tried my best to repair the crease mark from your precious photo. Cheers Yoshi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 8 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Belated (very!) thanks, Yoshi. Only just seen your posting and photo repairs. Much appreciated. Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 4 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2013 Slightly belatedly, remembering my Great Uncle Ned, who died 95 years ago last week. Still remembered with fondness and pride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moggs Posted 4 November , 2013 Share Posted 4 November , 2013 Dom, I've seen this thread pop up every now and then, felt I knew what it was about and left it at that. Today, though, I took the time to go through it all. Thank you for your perseverance and undying connection with Ned. It is a remarkable story, certainly tragic, but something about what he did and what you have done will make it live for ever. All the best Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 5 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 5 November , 2013 Thanks Jonathan. One of the many reasons for being thankful for the Great War Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted 15 April , 2014 Share Posted 15 April , 2014 Hi there, I hadn't noticed this thread before but found it when Googling Ned after seeing the following picture on Facebook - it's from a site which 'colours' historical photos: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 15 April , 2014 Share Posted 15 April , 2014 :poppy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Mills Posted 6 October , 2014 Share Posted 6 October , 2014 Dom, I don't know if you are still following this thread as it has been a while, but I just found this on line: http://www.britains-soldiers.com/www.britains-soldiers.coms/info.php?p=25 Item 62002 might be of particular interest? S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 10 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2014 Dom, I don't know if you are still following this thread as it has been a while, but I just found this on line: http://www.britains-soldiers.com/www.britains-soldiers.coms/info.php?p=25 Item 62002 might be of particular interest? S. Thanks Simon. Might just snap it up for my dad (named Ned after his uncle) for his upcoming 90th birthday! Cheers. Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 29 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2014 In fond memory of Ned Parfett on the anniversary of his death 96 years ago today. Never forgotten by his proud family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 30 October , 2014 Share Posted 30 October , 2014 In fond memory of Ned Parfett on the anniversary of his death 96 years ago today. Never forgotten by his proud family Here's to Ned! :poppy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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