No.7307, Private, William Henry PARMENTER
Aged 26
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William Henry Parmenter was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q2-1888 4A:692), son of Henry and Ellen PARMENTER (née WELLS).
1891 census...Aged 3, he was at Rambley Lane, Cavendish with his father Henry PARMENTER [40] farm labourer; his mother Ellen [37] born Pentlow, Essex; brother Harry [17] farm labourer; sisters Susan [11], Beatrice [7] and Florrie [5]. All except his mother were born in Cavendish. 1901 census...Aged 13, he was at Workhouse Street, Cavendish with his widower father, brothers Harry and James [4]; sisters Susan, Mary [9] and Edith E [6]. The new siblings born in Cavendish. His mother had died early in 1900 1911 census...Aged 22, he was in the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment in Egypt. His father and brother James were still at Workhouse Street, Cavendish. |
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He first enlisted in London on 26th February 1904, giving his age as 17 years 11 months (he was not even 16). He was living at 88 Euston
Road, St Pancras, London, working as a labourer for Mr Shirley at 308 Euston Road, St. Pancras. He was 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm)tall,
weighed
122 lbs (55.5 kg), chest 32" to 34" (81.3 to 86.4 cm), grey eyes, dark brown hair, Church of England. He was attested to the Militia, No.6814, the 5th Battalion,
Rifle Brigade. He named his next of kin as father-Henry Parmenter, older brother Harry and younger brother James, all at Stour Street, Cavendish.
He was discharged on 8th March having made a mis-statement as to age.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he then appeared at Bury St Edmunds on 8th May 1905 to sign for 6 years in the Militia in the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Now he gave his age as 17 years and 1 month, a labourer for Mr J Ambrose at Walls End, Cavendish, born and living in Cavendish. He stated he had served in the 3rd Suffolk Regiment but was claimed under age. it looks as if his family were trying to stop him serving. He was now 5 feet 3.5 inches tall, weighed 116 lbs, chest 32" to 34.5, grey eyes, brown hair and Church of England. His father was now at Workhouse Street, Cavendish. He was posted No. 6293 on 8th May 1905 and joined the Suffolk Regiment on 2th March 1906. That was presumably when he received his number of 7307. "Soldiers Died" has him enlisting in Sudbury. He may have been with the 1st Battalion in Egypt in 1911,but he must have transferred sometime to the 2nd Battalion to have been at Le Cateau in August 1914. The 2nd Suffolks were in Ireland when war was declared and they were very rapidly mobilised,leaving Dublin for Le Havre on 13th/14th August. They then marched through France to Mons in Belgium. There, on 23rd Major Peebles reassured a farmer he would be quite safe to turn his cows out into the field, only to be ordered soon after to get his men to the canal and reinforce the East Surreys. They then came under fire for the first time, "C" Company having 4 men killed. They were forced to fall back to Hamin. By dawn in the 25th they were still on the retreat and were back to Pont des Quatre Vaux cross roads, about half a mile west of Le Cateau. On the 26th, someone ( no one appears to admit it was them) gave an order that on no account were they to retreat. For nine hours they clung on, fighting desperately until General Smith-Dorien, at 2 pm, ordered a general withdrawal. The Suffolk were in dire straits and the 2nd Manchesters and the 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders tried to reinforce them but few made it. That left the Suffolks and Yorkshire Light Infantry trying to halt the Germans . In the event their valiant efforts were responsible for the saving of a large part of the small British Army, the "Contemptible" little Army as the Kaiser termed them. Lt Col Murphy in his "History of the Suffolk Regiment has the casualties as about 720 killed, wounded or missing (bear in mind that the fighting strength of a Battalion numbered around 900 men and officers at best and early in the war few were at full strength. CWGc put the actual deaths on the 26th at 74 and William is one of only 7 to have a known grave. A great number ended up as prisoners of war. Sidney Clarry was one, he sadly spent nearly four years as a prisoner, only to die 3.5 months before the Armistice. see here
photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
