William Andrew PARSONS

William Andrew PARSONS Update Details

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PARSONS, William Andrew

Service Number:	867
Enlisted:	28 December 1915, West Maitland, New South Wales
Last Rank:	Corporal
Last Unit:	34th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Newcastle, New South Wales, date not yet discovered
Home Town:	West Maitland, Maitland, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Miner
Died:	Died of Wounds (GSW leg & shoulder), Messines, France, 20 July 1917, age not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais Plot I, Row T, Grave No. 27. His name is also located at panel 124 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT., Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

28 Dec 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, West Maitland, New South Wales
2 May 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 867, 34th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: ''
2 May 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 867, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney
21 Nov 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 867, 34th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 867 awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-07-20
7 Jan 1917:	Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 867, 34th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines
20 Jun 1917:	Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 867, 34th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines

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Biography

Married to Bridget Parsons (nee Vial), 17 Wallace Street, West Maitland, NSW
b.1886 - d. 1953.

7 Children - c/o Elizabeth Street, Abermain, NSW

Daughter   - Helen M Parsons b. 1902 - d. 1906
Son            - John William Parsons
Daughter   - Emily Parsons
Daughter   - May Beatrice Parsons b. 11/7/1907 - d. 10/5/1982 (74 yrs old)
                     m. Cecil Ernest LUCAS 1925 in Cessnock NSW (b. 1907 - d. 8/2/1982)
Son           - Thomas John Parsons

Serving in 6th Australian Light Horse - prior to enlisting.

Described on enlisting as 30 years 10 months old; married; 5' 7 1/2" tall; 137 lbs; dark complexion;
blue eyes; dark hair; Church of England. Tattoo right forearm.

28/12/1915 Enlisted at West Maitland, NSW
Completed medical - fit for service (teeth may need attention)

24/3/1916 Commanding Officer appointed William to C Company, 34th Battalion
Rutherford Camp.

2/5/1916          Embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A20 Hororata
                           Private in C Company, 34th Infantry
23/6/1916          disembarked into Plymouth, England

The battalion spent the next five months training.

21/11/1916 Proceeded overseas to France, ex Southampton

Moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 27/11/1916, just in time for the
onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17.

7/1/1917 Appointed Lance Corporal - in the field

The 34th Battalion had to wait until the emphasis of British and Dominion operations switched to
the Ypres Sector of Belgium in mid-1917 to take part in its first major battle; this was the
battle of Messines, launched on 7 June.

20/6/1917 Promoted to Temporary Corporal

19/7/1917 Gun shot wound to leg and shoulder - received in action

19/7/1917 Transferred to No.2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station

20/7/1917 Died of gun shot wound to leg and shoulder received in action

buried in: Trois Abres Cametery, Steenwerck, France
Plot I, Row T, Grave No. 27

buried by: Captain Reverend G Kennedy Tucker
and a wooden cross with his name and particulars was mounted at his grave.

Medals:
British War Medal (3849), Victory Medal (38180);
Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (327612).

1919                  (wife) Bridget Parsons - remarried Mr Wesley J SMITH at Newcastle, NSW
                          - now known as Mrs B Smith living at Alexander St, Kurri Kurri, NSW.
March 1922       - moved to William Street, Sheddon's Estate, Cessnock, NSW

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 14/11/2014. Lest we forget.

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