PARKER, Henry Thomas


No.41417, Private, Thomas Henry PARKER
Aged 33


13th Battalion, Essex Regiment
formerly No.6660, Cambridgeshire Regiment
Died of his Wounds on Saturday, 28th April 1917


Thomas Henry Parker was born in Clare ( Risbridge Q4-1883 4A:690), baptised in Clare St Peter and St Paul on 12th December 1883, son of Francis and Frances PARKER (née TWIN). Most civilian records have him as Henry Thomas, military records show Thomas Henry.

1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Cavendish Lane, Clare with his father Francis PARKER [42] labourer; his mother Frances [38]; twin sisters Mary A and Louisa [5] and Rosa [1]. All were born in Clare.

1901 census...He has not been found in this census. It is quite possible he was in the Army in South Africe. At Snow Hill, Clare were his parents; sister Rose and brother Freddy [8] born Clare.

He married Elizabeth HICKFORD [17-6-1888] of Ashen in 1905. His father died in 1910

1911 census...Aged 27, a farm labourer, he was at Snow Hill, Clare with his wife Elizabeth [23] born Ashen and their sons, Thomas Henry [6-7-1909] and James Francis [10-7-1910], both born in Clare. A daughter, Rosie Fanny was born 18-12-1915.





He enlisted in Sudbury.
The battalion war diary for the 28th is very long and detailed. In summary however:-
They formed up at 0200, our artillery barrage commenced at 0425 and by 0438 they had crossed the enemy front line trench except for the extreme right, help up by uncut wire and machine gun fire. Contact was lost with the Marine light Infantry on the right,maintained with the 17th Middlesex, but lost with the Highland Light Infantry on the left. The advance continued to the eastern end of OPPY WOOD. They were then attacked by bombing parties of Germans and machine gun fire from OPPY VILLAGE. The enemy were seen advancing down SUNKEN ROAD and at the CRUCIFIX.
At 0550 a company of Kings Royal Rifles attempted to form a defensive flank at B.18.d.3.5. but were unable to get further than the British front line owing to heavy enemy fire. The 17th Middlesex on the left then came under heavy attack and a large number of Germans got through OPPY WOOD and to the rear of the line, re-occupying part of their own front line. A senior officer was sent to try and clear up the situation but was not seen again.
At 0900 troops were ordered to pull back and hold and consolidate the German front line. Only a few parties managed this but were unable to cope with the enemy fire. All of the officers had become casualties, and most of the NCOs and what was left of the battalion was disorganised and exhausted. Small parties held out but eventually retired to the old British line, running from shell hole to shell hole.
Casualties were officers killed 2 - O Ranks 3; wounded Officers 4 - O Ranks 79; missing Officer 8 - O Ranks 240

CWGC records put a different light on it, with a total of 126 killed and only 4 having identified graves. It seems that many seen to be wounded were never seen again and therefore death was assumed on the day.


The site of the KRR objective mentioned above. The dark green of Oppy Wood seen just behind the marker







Thomas Parker is commemorated on the Arras memorial, Faubourg d'Amiens bay 8

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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