Walter Richard Parker
Encyclopedia
Walter Richard Parker VC
(20 September 1881 - 27 November 1936) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Parker was 33 years old, and a lance-corporal in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Royal Marines
, Royal Naval Division during the First World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On the night of 30 April/1 May 1915 at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli
, Turkey
, Lance-Corporal Parker, a volunteer stretcher-bearer, went out with a party of NCOs and men to take ammunition, water and medical stores to an isolated trench containing about 40 men and several wounded. There were no communication trenches leading to the trench, and several men had already been killed in an attempt to reach it.
After crossing an area of about 400 yards swept by machine-gun and rifle fire, Lance-Corporal Parker was alone, the rest of the party having been killed or wounded. On his arrival he gave assistance to the wounded and when the trench was finally evacuated early the next morning, he helped to remove and attend the casualties, although he himself was seriously wounded.
Parker never fully recovered from his wounds, and was invalided out of the service in June 1916. The award appeared in the London Gazette
on 22 June 1917; the lengthy delay before the award being explained by the Commanding Officer, Adjutant, Sergeant Major and the Company Commander all being wounded at the time of the action for which Parker was awarded the medal. The account of the award also noted that Parker had consistently displayed bravery and energy in the three previous days during a particularly difficult time as commander the battalion's stretcher bearers, when almost every wounded man had to be evacuated over open ground and under fire.
He died, aged 55, at Stapleford
near Nottingham and is buried in the local cemetery. A memorial service to him is held annually at Stapleford by the local Royal Marines Association on the Sunday nearest 30 April. There is a paved area in Stapleford town centre named in his honour.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Marines Museum
, in Southsea
, England
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(20 September 1881 - 27 November 1936) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Parker was 33 years old, and a lance-corporal in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, Royal Naval Division during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On the night of 30 April/1 May 1915 at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Lance-Corporal Parker, a volunteer stretcher-bearer, went out with a party of NCOs and men to take ammunition, water and medical stores to an isolated trench containing about 40 men and several wounded. There were no communication trenches leading to the trench, and several men had already been killed in an attempt to reach it.
After crossing an area of about 400 yards swept by machine-gun and rifle fire, Lance-Corporal Parker was alone, the rest of the party having been killed or wounded. On his arrival he gave assistance to the wounded and when the trench was finally evacuated early the next morning, he helped to remove and attend the casualties, although he himself was seriously wounded.
Parker never fully recovered from his wounds, and was invalided out of the service in June 1916. The award appeared in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 22 June 1917; the lengthy delay before the award being explained by the Commanding Officer, Adjutant, Sergeant Major and the Company Commander all being wounded at the time of the action for which Parker was awarded the medal. The account of the award also noted that Parker had consistently displayed bravery and energy in the three previous days during a particularly difficult time as commander the battalion's stretcher bearers, when almost every wounded man had to be evacuated over open ground and under fire.
He died, aged 55, at Stapleford
Stapleford, Nottinghamshire
-External links:***...
near Nottingham and is buried in the local cemetery. A memorial service to him is held annually at Stapleford by the local Royal Marines Association on the Sunday nearest 30 April. There is a paved area in Stapleford town centre named in his honour.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Marines Museum
Royal Marines Museum
The Royal Marines Museum is located in Eastney , England, and is open to the public every day of the week throughout the year apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day...
, in Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
External links
- Stapleford Website - Walter Parker
- Location of grave and VC medal (NottinghamshireNottinghamshireNottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
)