37055 / 06612- Pte R.F. Frith, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and Hampshire Regiment

37055 / 06612- Pte R.F.Frith Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

Robert Francis Frith served as a Private with the 1/4th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, probably going overseas some time after 31 December 1915. Depending upon his date of joining the battalion (and departure) he may have served in Aden, in the Suez Defence Force, and in Palestine. He was subsequently transferred to the Hampshire Regiment, given the new regimental number 06612, and posted to an unrecorded battalion. If this transfer took place in-theatre, it is possible that he transferred to a Territorial battalion of the Hampshires, of which the 1/8th, 2/4th and 2/5th served in Egypt and/or Palestine. His British War Medal and Victory Medal were issued off the Hampshire Regiment roll some time after 19 May 1920.

Gnr Kimpton, Pnr Foster, Pte Towse

319079 Gnr Harold P Kimpton, Royal Garrison Artillery

Gunner Harold Pearman Kimpton served in the London Royal Garrison Artillery, enlisting on 17 January 1916. His initial regimental number was 1979, he was later issued with the six-digit number 319079. This is amongst the number bloc allocated to the London Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.

Gnr Kimpton was listed as wounded in War Office Daily List No.5437 of 8 December 1917, suggesting that he was wounded in late October or early November. As such he was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6th July 1916, the terms of this award being met by being named in such a list. The list confirmed his next of kin address as New Barnet. He may have been with 1/1st London Heavy Battery at the time. The war diary of the battery mentions gas shelling of the battery whilst in the line on 31 October 1917 and it is possibly in this incident that Gnr Kimpton was wounded. Alternatively he may have been with the 1/2nd London Heavy Battery in 13th Heavy Artillery Group, which was heavily in action at Passchendaele at this time and incurred three casualties in the month of October.

He was put under treatment for Mustard Gas poisoning at Catterick Military hospital. He was discharged, aged 25, on 7 March 1919 under paragraph 392 (xvi a) of King’s Regulation as no longer physically fit (“Surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service”). He was issued with the Silver War Badge number B346757 and pensioned at 5/6 weekly from 8 March 1919 to 9 September 1919. His postwar address was Woodcote Park Road, New Barnet, North London.

 

129084 Pioneer Courtenay S Foster, Royal Engineers (Special Brigade)

Courtenay Foster first enlisted into the 31st (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, being given the regimental number 1819; this probably took place on 30 November 1915 (the date of enlistment given in his entry on the Silver War Badge roll). He appears to have been one of a large number of men transferred from their parent units to the Royal Engineers to join the forming Special Brigade – in his case circa 11 March 1916. The Special Brigade was formed in order to undertake gas warfare and at this time was undergoing a significant enlargement. At this time he would have been given his new regimental number 129084 (along with five other 31st battalion men who were given consecutive numbers after his) and his rank of Pioneer (there was no Trade Test for the specialisms of the gas troops in the Special Brigade, hence no appointments as ‘Sapper’). Within two months he was in France with the 1st Battalion, the Special Brigade (comprising ‘A’ to ‘D’ Companies, each consisting at this time of six sections). At this time these were ‘cylinder companies’ (that is, they were concerned with the delivery of gas through discharge from cylinders, as opposed to companies that operated stokes mortars). Each 225-man company consisted of 7 officers, 12 non-commissioned officers and 206 other ranks. Pnr Foster’s number is in a block associated with ‘A’ Special Company but he could have been serving with any of the four. At this time the 1st Battalion was serving in the Somme sector under the command of General Headquarters Fourth Army at Albert. He was admitted to hospital (no.3 Casualty Clearing Station, record reference MH106/318) with Bronchitis (possibly connected with his employment in a gas unit) on 12 July 1916. This record states his unit as “1st Battalion, Special Brigade, X Corps”. The following day he was transferred to no.6 Ambulance Train for medical evacuation. His unit continued to serve on the Somme. It was present in the Le Transloy area although not directly involved in the battle, and likewise under GHQ 5th Army at the Ancre Heights. Under the command of GHQ 4th Army the battalion was engaged in the fighting at Pozieres. Pnr Foster was eventually discharged from the Army under paragraph 392 (xvi) of King’s Regulations, due to sickness, on 4 May 1917.

After discharge from the Royal Engineers Depot, Special Brigade, he was issued the Silver War Badge, Badge Number 184060.

 

46522 Private (Rifleman) Arthur Evan Towse,3rd Rifle Brigade, killed in action 11 October 1918

Arthur Evan Towse was born on 23 March 1899 in Wimbledon, Surrey, to John (a clothier) and Jane Towse. He was baptised at St Mary's Church, Merton, Surrey, on 3 March 1912, at which time the family were living at 60 Adela Avenue, Merton (New Malden), John still being employed as a clothier. In April 1911 the family were living in New Malden, which was also Arthur’s place of residence when he enlisted at Kingston. Pte Towse appears to have been mobilised circa late April 1917, going overseas circa late March 1918, there to join the 3rd Rifle Brigade, part of the 6th Division. On 29 June 1918 Pte Towse was under the care of 4th Stationary Hospital (record reference MH 106/1485) with influenza, this record (from the hospital’s admissions and discharge book) crediting him with one year two months’ service, of which three months was with the field force. Although he possibly escaped the initial attacks of the German Spring Offensive 1918, this would have put him in line to take part in the Battle of Epehy in September 1918, and the Battle of Cambrai in October, during which the 6th Division captured Bohain.

Pte Towse was killed in action with the 3rd Rifle Brigade on 11 October 1918, during the Final Advance in Picardy. He was aged 19. This was in the context of the attack on St Aubert. The battalion war diary describes the circumstances as follows:

[10th October] “Commander was sent for to Brigade and received verbal instructions as to the attack for the next day which was to start from AVENES-LES-AUBERT in square.28 and was to take ST AUBERT and push on to line of the railway east of River SELLE in square V.4.b. The conference lasted a considerable time, and Coy Commanders were not got together until well after 22:00 hours. Verbal instructions were immediately issued to Coy. Commanders as to the objectives and method of attack. Written orders were issued later, but it was not possible to get these out until the actual hour for the start, i.e. 0330 hours had arrived, and no written orders were received from Brigade until Battn had actually formed-up at starting point.

[11th October] Battn paraded with head of column on road C.6.d. at 0300 hours. The night was very dark and there was considerable shelling to the North while battn was marching to its assembly position. Nevertheless the assembly was carried out and the attack was commenced according to plan, with the exception that the actual start was about 5 mins late. As, however, no concerted attack with troops on our right had been arranged, and as Battn on our left did not start until a great deal later, this did not make any difference. On emerging from AVESNES, the leading Coys came under heavy artillery and m.g. fire, but advancing, they reached the houses to the west of ST AUBERT, where hand to hand fighting took place. By this time they were suffering very severe casualties from machine guns on the flanks and they were forced to withdraw slightly and take up a line from the sunken road in U.23.b to railway U.24.c. Here they held on all day under most trying circumstances, with no-one on the flanks, and being shot at by observed m.g. and artillery fire. Battn HQ was established shortly after the advance in a house W.22.d.20.00 from where an excellent view of the battle could be obtained. Visual was quickly established with left front coy. At the start, no artillery assistance was available, and very little could be done to help the two leading Coys. At one time it was proposed to try and assist with an attack from the south, but as the Guards, who were on our right … were also held up, this was not considered practicable, and never took place. It is quite certain that had this attack been launched, heavy casualties would have resulted without any gain. As soon as dusk arrived, orders were issued to Coys to take up dispositions in accordance with Appendix “C”, which was successfully accomplished. Casualties for the day were Killed:- 2 offs. 48 ORs. Wounded:- 7 offs. 126 ORs. Missing:- 3 O.R.s. Believed prisoners:- 2 O.R.s.”

For his service, Pte Towse was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which would have been issued off the Rifle Brigade roll some time after May 1920. Pte Towse lies buried at plot IV. A. 10., Saint Aubert British Cemetery, Saint Aubert, France. His financial effects of £13/0/6 and War Gratuity of £6/10/0 went to his mother and sole legatee, Jane.

2826 Pte J E Liles, 1/6th West Yorkshire Regiment Second Battle of Kemmel 25 April 1918 Prisoner of War

2826 Pte J Liles, West Yorkshire Regiment, prisoner of war, Second Battle of Kemmel, 25 April 1918

John Edward Liles was born on 7 March 1898. He appears to have emigrated to the United States of America with Catherine, his mother, and his siblings, living there between 1908 and circa 1910. As of the 1911 census, however, he was living in the household of greengrocer George Dracup and wife Catherine, aged 13 and described as George’s son (although it appears that he was the son of William John Liles, who as of 1915 was reported as living apart from Catherine), employed as a barber. John Liles joined-up underage, circa 20 October 1914, and served as a Private in the 2/6th and 1/6th Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, initially under the regimental number 2826. An attempt to have him discharged as underage in September 1915 having not succeeded, he was retained in the army until of an age to be sent overseas – presumably some time in early 1917. In March 1917 he was renumbered as part of the general Territorial Force renumbering and given the new six-digit number 240793. Under the latter number he was captured (initially reported as missing) circa April or May 1918. He was first listed as missing in War Office Daily List No.5599 of 22 June 1918. This list gave his next of kin address as Bradford. As Liles, John Edward of the 1/6th West Yorkshire Regiment, D Company, on 7 October 1918 he was recorded as being incarcerated in Prison Camp at Friedrichsfeld, having been captured, unwounded, at Kemmel on 25 April 1918, during the Second Battle of Kemmel, part of the Battle of the Lys, the German 1918 Spring Offensive in Flanders. This record confirmed his Service Number as 240793 and gave his date of birth as 7 April 1898, with his next of kin being given as Mrs Liles of 84 Tennant Street, East Bowling, Bradford. War Office Daily List No.5777 of 21 January 1919 listed him as Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England. He was formally discharged on 31 March 1920. For his service he was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which he would have received some time in 1922.

When he was aged 23, John Edward Liles married Amy Cullington on 10 September 1921 at St Stephen’s Church, West Bowling, Yorkshire. The marriage register records him as the son of John William Liles. At this time John Edward (like his father) was a dyer’s labourer and living at 132 Tennant Street.

He rejoined the West Yorkshire Regiment (6th Battalion) as a territorial in 1931, presumably under the service number 4534444, serving for four years until 1935. Aged 33, at this time he was employed as a wool comber.

John joined the Post Office in October 1937. The 1939 Register shows John and Amy as living at 136 Tennant Street, Bradford and describes John as “underground telephone cable jointer, GPO, skilled man”. (The previous owner indicated that John, at the start of WW2, joined the Royal Engineers (Postal Section) and Home Guard, presumably thereby earning the associated Defence Medal: however I have not been able to verify this.) He appears to have been in the employ of the Post Office, as a Technician, in 1956. His death was registered in the Wharfedale registration district in the third quarter of 1962.

WW1 Victory Medal - Pte. J.T. Morris, Manchester Regiment wounded Salonika, Battle of Doiran

WW1 Victory Medal - Pte. J.T. Morris, Manchester Regiment

In poor condition but the naming can be read. Named to 23557 Pte. J T Morris Manch R. 

John Thomas Morris of 24 Albert Street, Rusholme, Manchester was a labourer,

supposedly aged 19 years 2 months upon enlistment, on 2nd February 1915 (however the information on his postwar Army Form Z.11 (Soldier's Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity) indicates that he was born in 1897 and therefore probably added a year onto his age when enlisting). He was recorded as 5' 6" tall with an expanded chest measurement of 35 1/2". He gave as his next of kin Mary Elizabeth Morris, his mother.

He enlisted for the duration of the war and, as 3/23557 Private J T Morris, was appointed to the Manchester Regiment, initially being sent to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion and then posted to the 11th on 23 August 1915.

Pte Morris entered the Balkan theatre with the 11th Battalion in the 11th (Northern) Division on 13 September 1915 and was therefore also entitled to the 1914-15 Star, which he received in November 1919. By this point the battalion, landing at Suvla Bay, had been in Gallipoli for just over a month. Conditions on Gallipoli were difficult as in addition to Turkish sniper and artillery fire and the constant threat of disease, weather conditions were poor, especially in the winter. On 7 December 1915 he was admitted to Sliema Hospital, Malta, with frost bite and, passing through St John's Hospital, was sent home via the Hospital Ship 'Soudan' on 28 December.

Having returned home on 5 January 1916 he was in the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth for a time up to 12 April 1916, after which he was sent on nine days' furlough home. He went overseas again on 7 September 1916 to rejoin the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, travelling via Devonport to Salonika, disembarking on 22 September and joining his unit (most probably the 13th (Service) battalion in the 22nd Division) a few days later.

He was wounded on 24 April 1917 with a gun shot wound to the right shoulder whilst with the 22nd Division - presumably in connection with the 13th Manchesters' assault on Pip Ridge during the First Battle of Doiran, two miles south-west of Lake Doiran.

Pte Morris passed through no.29 General Hospital, 2 Convalescent Camp and 3 Convalescent Depot, arriving at 2 Base Depot in mid-July 1917. He rejoined his unit on 27 August 1917.

He is then shown as having been posted to France on 5 July 1918, travelling via Itea, Italy. This would most likely have been with the 13th Manchesters, who left the 22nd Division in Salonika to join the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in France. On 13 August 1918 the 13th was absorbed by the 9th battalion, with which Pte Morris also served, although he was shown as being posted to the latter on 2 August 1918. Between 13 and 27 August 1918 he had leave from overseas, returning to France on 28 August 1918. This would have put him in line to have taken part in the Allied hundred days offensive, including the battles of the Hindenburg Line, Cambrai 1918, and the Selle.

He returned home to the United Kingdom on 20-22 February 1919 via Dunkirk and after passing through the dispersal centre at Prees Heath, was discharged to the Army Class 'Z' Reserve on 21 March 1919 after four years and forty-eight days' service. 

He received his British War Medal and Victory Medal, to complete his medal entitlement, in early November 1920.

Two Battle of the Tardenois MMs gazetted 10 December 1918 - 278681 Chalmers A&SH and 403533 Edwards RAMC

Two Battle of the Tardenois MMs gazetted 10 December 1918

7324. PTE. J.Y. CHALMERS. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Military Medal, 278681. PTE. J. CHALMERS. 1/7. A. & S. Highrs. (Highlanders).

Pte John Young Chalmers, 1/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 51st Highland Division. The award was announced in the 51st Division Routine Order no.1071 of Wednesday 21 August 1918 (which can be seen in the Adjutant & Quartermaster-General's War Diary for August 1918 (piece number 2849) as one of a large number of awards made "for gallantry displayed between 20th and 30th July 1918", i.e. the Battle of the Tardenois. Gazetted in London Gazette Issue 31061, page 14664, dated 10th December 1918.

816 Pte N.E. Edwards R.A.M.C, also 403533 Pte N.E. Edwards 2/W. Rid: F.A. R.A.M.C.

Pte N E Edwards RAMC, 2nd (2/1st or 2/2nd) West Riding Field Ambulance, 62nd Division, presumably one of 333 awards mentioned but not particularised in annex F ('Rewards granted during August 1918') to the AA&QMG war diary for the division for August 1918 (piece number 3072/1-3). Norman Ellis Edwards’s MM was announced in the London Gazette issue 31061, page 14666 dated 11th December 1918 and listed him from Leeds. NB his award is gazetted for the 2nd (West Riding) Field Ambulance and is interpreted by Ancestry/Forces War Records as being for the 2/2nd FA (which would accord with his six-digit TF number bloc); however my reading of his MM Index Card is that it reads against Corps "R.A.M.C. 2/1st(W Rid) Fld. Amb T.F.", indicating if correct that he was with the 2/1st when the award was recommended. On 19 July the 2/1st WR FA arrived in the village of St Imoges and on 20 July set up an MDS [Main Dressing Station] at the north end of the village. I note that in the 2/1st West Riding FA War Diary for 21 July 1918 there is a mention of "1 tent subdivision of 2/2nd West Riding Field Ambulance attached to MDS [Main Dressing Station] for duty. [Ordered there at 1pm on the 21st, seemingly by the ADMS for the 62nd Division, having been in reserve at Champillon.] 807 cases during 24 hours after opening of attack. Camp shelled." The following day's entry, 22 July, also notes "401 cases during succeeding 24 hours (noon to noon). Camp shelled & moved 200 yards north." On the 24th, after a further 302 cases arrived in the intervening day, the village was bombed. A further 341 cases arrived on this day also. I speculate that Pte Edwards may have been recommended for the Military Medal during this period of attachment, very possibly for gallantry during these periods when the MDS was under enemy attack. The tent subdivision, per 2/2nd WR FA War Diary, returned from this attached duty on 31 July. (On 25 August a bearer subdivision of the 2/2nd reported to the ADS at Courcelles for temporary duty with the 2/1st but this seems late to be relevant to this award.)

77291 PTE.R.J. WADDINGTON 30th Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. & 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers Victory Medal

77291 PTE.R.J. WADDINGTON 30th Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. & 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers Victory Medal

Robert James Waddington enlisted in the army at some point probably prior to November 1915. As 77291 Pte R J Waddington he first served overseas with the Royal Army Medical Corps, going overseas some time from 1 January 1916 onwards. Based on the service record of 77299 Pte Thomas Moore, RAMC, he may have joined in early November 1915, passing through no.6 Company RAMC at Cosham and going overseas some time up to August 1917. (See also 77297 Pte Albert Edward Oldfield, who joined at the same time as Pte Moore and went overseas on 12 February 1916 to France to join 2nd Cavalry Field Ambulance.) Pte Waddington served with 30th Field Ambulance in 10th (Irish) Division, possibly going overseas in time to join them in Salonika, where they remained until transferred to Egypt, in September 1917. Engagements during this time included the capture of the Karajokois and the capture of Yenikoi in October 1916. The division then fought in Palestine, most notably in the Third Battle of Gaza, 1-2 November 1917, part of the Southern Palestine Offensive.

Pte Waddington was subsequently transferred to the infantry, probably being 'combed-out' of his RAMC role as the result of a relatively high medical grading. After passing through the infantry school of instruction, he transferred corps to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers under the regimental number 88299, serving in the 7th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Bn, Royal Welch Fusiliers, a Territorial Battalion which by this time was part of the 160th Brigade, of the 53rd (Welsh) Division. 

Based on the service record of 88280 Sidney Higgs, 1/7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who was also formerly of the RAMC (regimental number 39622), Pte Waddington's compulsory transfer to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers probably took place after a transfer to base depot (possibly 'B' Depot at Kantara) at the end of May 1918, then to the Infantry School of Instruction at Zeitoun outside Cairo on or about 20 June 1918, joining the 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the field on or about 6 July 1918.This would have put Pte Waddington in line to serve with the 7th Battalion at the battle of Megiddo, 18-19 September 1918. Per Wikipedia:

"At the climactic Battle of Megiddo 53rd Division was tasked with advancing across the Samieh Basin towards Nablus, to threaten the Turks' communication centre and block the exits to the Jordan Valley (the Battle of Nablus). It attacked in moonlight late on the first day (18 September), after a 20-minute bombardment, and 7th RWF (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) had captured all its objectives on the north side of the basin by 03.00 next day. The roads were very bad, and the Royal Engineers struggled to make a path for the guns, but the advance continued, and by the end of 22 September the Turkish army was shattered, its retreat was being harried by artillery and aircraft.

The advanced troops of the division were now south-east of Nablus, but 53rd (W) Division was ordered to stand fast and did not take part in the pursuit of the defeated Turkish army. For the next few days it was employed in clearing the battlefield and repairing the Nablus road. On 26 September it moved back to Tell 'Asur, and by 12 October it had moved to Ramle, where on 27 October it began entraining for Alexandria. The Armistice of Mudros ended the fighting in Palestine on 31 October. On 20 December demobilisation instructions were received and the first parties left for home on 22 December. The Indian battalions left in early 1919 as transport became available. The 7th RWF was one of the last British units to leave, being reduced to a cadre on 23 January 1920 and officially disembodied on 12 March."

For his service Pte Waddington was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which he would have received some time after August 1921.

He is probably the Robert James Waddington who was born on 24 December 1883 to Thomas and Elizabeth Martha Waddington, and baptised on 24 February at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, West Derby, Liverpool. By the time of the 1911 Census this Robert was living in Toxteth Park at 46 Garmoyle Road Sefton Park Liverpool and married to Minnie. Robert was employed as an assistant schoolmaster and the couple had a young child, Irene Mildred. By the 1921 census Robert and Minnie were living at 53 Portman Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. Robert, by that time a Schoolmaster in the employ of the Liverpool Corporation Education Committee, worked at St Cleopas Church of England School, Beresford Road, Liverpool.

The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919 Medal, awarded to 15479 PTE. E. Parker of the 17th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (1st South East Lancashire) - an original 'bantam'.

The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919 Medal, awarded to 15479 PTE. E. Parker of the 17th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (1st South East Lancashire) - an original 'bantam'.

Edgar Parker was born circa 1894. He may be the same Edgar S Parker, aged 18, and employed as a Twister, who was shown in the 1911 census as boarding with Richard A Parker and wife Ann at 3 Hartley Street, Nelson. As of early 1915 he lived at 46 Regent Street, Nelson and was a twister by trade. Edgar enlisted at Colne, Lancashire on 6 January 1915, aged 20 years 200 days and (under the regimental number 17/15479) was appointed to the Lancashire Fusiliers (17th Battalion) the same day. He gave as his next of kin Richard Arthur Parker, of the same address.

Standing 5' 0" tall, he was a classic 'Bantam' by stature, although at 34" fully expanded chest, slightly off the chest measurement requirement of 34 1/2". (The 'Bantam' drive was a recruitment initiative aimed at men of good physique but shorter than the standard 5' 3" height requirement, such as miners.) He weighed 103lbs and was medically graded 'A1' upon joining.

The 17th (Service) Battalion (1st South-East Lancashire), Lancashire Fusiliers had been formed as a bantam Battalion in Bury by Lieutenant-Colonel G E Wike and a committee on 3 December 1914. On 16 March 1915 the 17th moved to Chadderton near Oldham and then to Masham, Yorkshire to join the 104th Brigade of the 35th Division. On 27 August 1915 both the 17th and its sister 18th battalion were taken over by the War Office and moved to Cholderton on Salisbury Plain. Five months later the battalion was mobilised for war and, going overseas as a unit, landed at Le Havre in January 1916. In keeping with this, on his service record Pte Parker was shown as posted overseas to the 17th Battalion on 28 January 1916.

After a period of familiarisation with western Front conditions in the sector between La Bassée and Armentieres, the 17th, as part of 104th Brigade, 35th Division, then proceeded to fight on the Somme, arriving at Aveluy Wood on 10 July 1916, later acting as carrying parties for the 89th Brigade's attack on Guillemont, 29 and 30 July 1916. During this action the parties were attached to various battalions of the attacking force and moved up with the 4th wave, suffering 40 other rank casualties in the process, of which 31 were wounded. The battalion continued to take casualties as the offensive continued; 12 men were wounded by an accidental bomb (grenade) explosion in 'Happy Valley' on 14 July, 5 men were wounded at Maricourt on 19 July, and a further 153 men were wounded whilst the battalion occupied the front line between Trones Wood and Maltz Horn Farm from 21 to 23 July and then Talus Boise the following day. The battalion remained in this sector for some time and on 24 August they attacked, in conjunction with the French, the German lines south east of Falfemont Farm, advancing 300 yards and digging in on the Falfemont Spur. Pte Parker would have been with them at this point, and then travelled with the battalion to the Arras sector at the end of the month. By November 1916 the battalion was in the line at Arras and along with others experienced a severe trench raid on the 25th of the month, battalion casualties for November (including this episode) being 12 other ranks killed, 15 wounded and 25 missing.

Early in 1917 as part of a general reorganization of the 35th Division the 17th ceased to be a bantam Battalion, the war diary for December and January 1917 (the battalion was billetted at Arras during the latter month) showing evidence of men not considered fit enough for infantry duty being selected for transfer. On 25 January 1917 Pte Parker was transferred to an Infantry Labour Company (the 17th) at Dunkirk, probably as part of this transition, joining them in the field on 29 January. He was formally transferred to the Labour Corps upon its formation on 14 May 1917 and served with the Labour Corps under the regimental number 111727 in 187th Company. This means he was on the strength of the company when, during the night of 21 July 1917 it was shelled whilst in camp, seven men being killed, and he appears to have remained with it for most of the rest of the war, apart from a couple of episodes of sickness and one period of attachment with 103 Company between 29 March and 7 April 1918, which may have been associated with the impact of the German Spring Offensive 1918. With the 187th Company he had one offence of overstaying his leave in August 1918, for which he was confined to camp for seven days. On 20 December 1918 he was posted to 708th Company and, after passing through No.2 Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath, was transferred to the Army 'Z' Reserve on demobilization on 23 March 1919. His home address upon demobilization was 23 Derby Street, Nelson, Lancashire and he was medical category 'B2' upon discharge.

His full entitlement was the British War Medal and Victory Medal, issued off the Labour Corps roll and acknowledged in August 1921. This was the subject of an inquiry to the medals office in November 1945.

He may be the Edgar Saunders Parker, also a cotton twister, born in Nelson, who is shown on the 1921 census as living with wife Grace Mary at 23 Derby St, Nelson.