Harold Parker (23 October 1893 – ) married Jane Hodgson (4 September 1897 – ) [i] on 5 April 1915, in Auckland, Durham England[ii], while he was serving with the Durham Light Infantry, (Service No. 15386). Harold had enlisted on 2 September 1914 at Barnard Castle[iii].
On 16 August 1916, while serving with the 4th Durham Light Infantry, Harold was wounded in his right leg, subsequently returned to England on 20 October 1916 to the Bradford War Hospital, Little Horton. Harold was eventually discharged on a pension in December 1919[iv]. Before his discharge, Harold and Jane had a daughter, Mildred on 31 January 1918 (d. 1972[v]) in Barton Yorkshire.[vi]
On November 14, 1919, George Austin Parker was born into the family, in Barton Yorkshire, he was christened the following 2 May, in the church of United Benefice, Barton.[vii]
In the second quarter of 1921, prior to the 1921 census on 19 June 1921, Arnold Hodgson Parker, was born[viii]. At the time of the 1921 census, the family was resident on Winston Road, Staindrop, Durham, England. Harold was shown as a coal miner (hewer), at the Gordon House Colliery, however, an additional note shoes he was unemployed due to a strike. This census also shows that Harold and Jane have another son, Harold Kempstar Parker born on 8 January 1915.[ix] (Further research shows Harold K. has two entries in the England & Wales Births 1837 – 2006, on FindMyPast.[x] I think the second is a possible indication of adoption and the subsequent change in his birth record. Harold K. died in 1974.[xi])
In 1924, Arnold Hodgson Parker died, he was buried in the St Mary’s Churchyard at Staindrop, Teesdale, Durham.[xii]
By the time of the 1939 Register, Harold, Jane, and Mildred were living at 5 Aston Terrace, Leeds, Yorkshire. Harold is shown as a quarry labourer, Jane working in the home, and Mildred as a tailoress[xiii]. George is not shown, by virtue of this, and his Arm number (320035), it can be assumed he had joined the Army by this, and into the Regiment of the ‘Cavalry of the Line’[xiv], probably the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers[xv].
On the commencement of war, George was with the 9th Lancers at Tidworth. On 21 May 1940, with the bulk of the 9th Lancers, and the 10th (Prince of Wales Own) Hussars, George arrived in France as a part of the third flight of the 1st Armoured Division. The next day, the Regiment travelled by train to the Division concentration point at Blaru, arriving on 23 May. The Lancers were ordered to move towards the Somme shortly after their arrival, and arrived in Gisors on 24 May, and stopping overnight. They moved further forward, refuelling at Lincheux, it is possible that George was involved in the activities of the Regiment on this day, 24 May, on the Somme.
Following these activities, the Lancers, along with the rest of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, were ordered to hold a line of observation over the area west of Amiens. To get into position, the Lancers moved in a ‘2-up’ formation, with ‘C’ Squadron on the right, ‘B’ Squadron on the left, ‘A’ Squadron in reserve, in the wood east of Bougainville, and RHQ on the northern edge of the same wood. ‘C’ and ‘B’ Squadrons sent out patrols looking for German forces, reports of enemy troops were made of sightings in numerous towns. The Regiment stayed in this line of observation over the night of 25/26 May. That night, orders were received that the Regiment, along with the rest of the 1st Armoured Division were to move to the area south of Abbeville. The Regiment formed up and moved through Hornoy in the early morning, the march being ‘very tiring for the tank crews’.[xvi]
At 0530 hours on 26 May, the Regiment arrived in their area of operation, and deployed as follows:
RHQ Liomer
‘A’ Sqn Andainville
‘B’ Sqn Le Quesne
‘C’ Sqn Villers Campsart
The squadrons were to block roads and deny villages to the enemy. The Regiment received orders that on 27 May, when the Division would attack the Abbeville bridgehead, it would remain in reserve, positioned around Frucourt. Ultimately remaining, in reserve, in the area, during the French attack on 29 May.[xvii]
On 31 May, the 2nd Armoured Brigade formed a Composite Regiment, from tanks and men from the surviving tanks of the 2nd Dragoon Guards (The Queen’s Bays), and the 10th Hussars, and the 9th Lancers, under the command of the 51st (Highland) Division, (General Victor Fortune). The Composite Regiment HQ, and ‘A’ and ‘C’ Squadrons were made up from tanks and men of the 9th Lancers, with ‘B’ Squadron made up of men and tanks from the Bays and the Hussars.[xviii] It was here that George became a member of ‘A’ Squadron if he was not before.
On 5 June 1940, the tank in which George was a crew member, went into action against members of the 11. Schützen-Brigade near Oust Marais. Both his, and the second tank of the troop under Second Lieutenant A. Lloyd-Mostyn came under fire from anti-tank guns, both were stopped, causing casualties among both crews and the death of George.[xix]
George was buried at the Oust Marais Communal Cemetery.[xx]
[i] 1939 Register, Harold Parker, Record Transcription: 1939 Register | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[ii] England & Wales Marriages 1837 – 2005, Harold Parker and Jane Hodgson, 1915, Record Transcription: England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005 | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[iii] British Army Service Records, Harold Parker (13/15386), Record Transcription: British Army Service Records | findmypast.co.uk, (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[iv] British Army Service Records, Harold Parker (13/15386), Record Transcription: British Army Service Records | findmypast.co.uk, (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[v] England & Wales Deaths 1837 – 2007, Mildred Wood, Record Transcription: England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July 2023)
[vi] British Army Service Records, Harold Parker (13/15386), Record Transcription: British Army Service Records | findmypast.co.uk, (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[vii] North Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1921, (Ancestry.com)
[viii] 1921 Census of England & Wales, Harold Parker, Record Transcription: 1921 Census Of England & Wales | findmypast.co.uk, (Accessed 24 July 2023); .
[ix] 1921 Census of England & Wales, Harold Parker, Record Transcription: 1921 Census Of England & Wales | findmypast.co.uk, (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[x] Harold K. Hodgson Birth Record 1915, Record Transcription: England & Wales Births 1837-2006 | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July, 2023); Harold K. Parker Birth Record 1919, Record Transcription: England & Wales Births 1837-2006 | findmypast.co.uk.
[xi] England & Wales Death Records, Record Transcription: England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 | findmypast.co.uk.
[xii] National Burial Index for England + Wales, Arnold Hodgson Parker, 1924 Record Transcription: National Burial Index For England & Wales | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[xiii] 1939 Register, Harold Parker, Record Transcription: 1939 Register | findmypast.co.uk (Accessed 24 July 2023).
[xiv] Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers, Army Numbers | Researching the Lives and Records of WW2 Soldiers (researchingww2.co.uk), (Accessed 24 July 2023)
[xv] I don’t have access to George’s service records at the moment to confirm these details.
[xvi] WO 167/447, War Diary 9th Lancers May-June 1940, 24 – 25 May, The National Archives (UK).
[xvii] WO 167/447, War Diary 9th Lancers May-June 1940, 26 – 29 May, The National Archives (UK).
[xviii] WO 167/445, War Diary, Queen’s Bays, May-June 1940, 31 May, The National Archives (UK); WO 167/447, War Diary 9th Lancers 31 May 1940, The National Archives (UK); Bright, Joan. E, 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers 1936-1945: The Story of an Armoured Regiment in Battle, Gale & Polden Ltd, 1951. https://www.9th12thlancersmuseum.org/archive/journals/regimental-histories/regimental-histories-1936-1945-bright/37908 p. 13.
[xix] WO 167/447, War Diary 9th Lancers May-June 1940, 5 June, The National Archives (UK).
[xx] CWGC, George Austin Parker, Corporal George Austin Parker | War Casualty Details 2846931 | CWGC (Accessed 24 July 2023).
The 1st Armoured Division (UK) 