PARR, Robert
No. 42077, Private, Robert Ernest PARR
Aged 19
2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
Killed in Action on Sunday 29th September 1918
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Born in St Exning in Q4- 1899 [Newmarket 3b:499]to Robert and Eliza PARR (née ATMORE) of Quarm Terrace, Exning. 1901 census...In both census Robert is entered as Ernest, presumable to differentiate between him and his father the family used his middle name. 'Ernest'[1] is at Quarm Terrace with his father Robert [23] labourer born Exning, and his mother Eliza [22] born Burwell. 1911 census...'Ernest' is at 8 Victoria Terrace, Lacey's Lane, Exning with his parents and sister Winifred [8] born Exning and brother Stanley [2] born Burwell. He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds and seems to have enlisted September 1917, so may well turn out to be one of the ‘A4s’ who were originally trained in a Young Soldiers’ Battalion before reaching combat serving age. |
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The war diary of the 2nd Beds has this for 29th September 1918: " Operations near RONSSOY WOOD...Casualties :- 2 O.R. Killed, 19 O.R. wounded. 54th Brigade attacked and captured the KNOLL east of RONSSOY, forming a left flank to Americans. 2nd Battalion in reserve except "A" Coy under command of Lt. R.I. EDWARDS, MC, attached to a battalion of Americans to do Liaison work. "B" and "C" Coys. were employed as carrying parties. "D" Coy formed "Mopping up" Company, and Battalion HQ was west of RONSSOY WOOD." CWGC have 3 killed, another 2nd Battalion man is buried in Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery Extension about 4 miles SW of Vendhuille. Robert's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Parr, R.E. 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment Robert Ernest Parr was one of the youngest of our Exning boys to lay down his life for his country, being only 19 and was out in France only a month before he was killed in action on September 29th, 1918. His death took place on the Knoll, near Vendhuille, between Cambrai and St. Quentin, in the fighting for the Hindenburg line. Owing to the continuous fighting at the time, his Captain writes there is no record of his burial, but he is certain to have been buried in the neighbourhood. Before joining up he had worked at the "Crown" at Newmarket, and had been educated at the Exning Day School and Wesleyan Sunday School. |
Robert is buried next to Stanley Aves from Isleham
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details