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The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 1st September…… William Parkes was born at Creswick, Victoria in 1892 . He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 4th August, 1915 as a 23 year old, single, Clerk (listed as Public Servant with H.M. Custom’s Office on Attestation Papers) from Creswick, Victoria when he enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia.

Private William Parkes embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on HMAT Medic (A7) on 12th January, 1916 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 27th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.

Private Parkes embarked from Alexandria & arrived at Marseilles, France on 27th March, 1916. He was taken on strength of 27th Battalion on 2nd May, 1916 in France.

Private Parkes was attached to 7th Brigade Machine Gun Company on 22nd July, 1916. He was transferred & taken on strength of 7th Machine Gun Company from 27th Battalion on 13th November, 1916.

Private Parkes was sent sick to Field Ambulance on 16th February, 1917 with Septic ankle. He was transferred to Divisional Rest Station on 16th February then transferred & admitted to Casualty Clearing Station on 28th February, 1917. Private Parkes was transferred to Ambulance Train on 2nd March, 1917 & admitted to 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples, France on 3rd March, 1917 with I.C.T. (inflammation of connective tissues) ankle. He was transferred to Calais on 13th March, 1917 & embarked for England on Hospital Ship Brighton on the same day with Septic right ankle.

Private William Parkes was admitted to Cheveley Park Hospital, Newmarket, England on 13th March, 1917 with a septic right ankle – slight.

Private William Parkes was written up for an Offence on 8th May, 1917 at Perham Downs, Wiltshire – A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from 3.30 pm on 8th May, 1917 until 4 pm on 9th May, 1917. He was awarded 3 days Confined to Camp & forfeited 2 days’ pay.

Private William Parkes was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot from furlo on 10th May, 1917 & medically classed as A3 (medically & dentally fit). He was marched out to H & D (Hardening & Drafting) Depot on 11th May, 1917 then marched out to Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham on 15th May, 1917.

Private William Parkes was transferred to A.F.C (Australian Flying Corps) Details from 7th M.G.C. at Grantham on 28th November, 1917. He was taken on strength as 2/AM (Air Mechanic) at Wendover on 28th November, 1917.

2nd Air Mechanic William Parkes was On Command at No. 2 R.F.C. (Royal Flying Corps) School of M. A. (Military Aeronautics) at Oxford from 1st February, 1918 to qualify as Flying Officer (Pilot) & was appointed Cadet.

2nd Air Mechanic/Cadet William Parkes was taken on strength of No. 7 Training Squadron at Tetbury, Leighterton on 30th May, 1918.

2nd Air Mechanic/Cadet William Parkes, having graduated, was appointed as Second Lieutenant on 14th August, 1918 as per A.I.F. List 371.

Second Lieutenant William Parkes took off from Leighterton Aerodrome at 5.40 pm on 1st September, 1918 piloting a R.E.8. Serial number D/4975 for the purpose of “Aerial Fighting Camera Gun”. When coming out of left hand turn down wind he apparently stalled & spun into the ground at 6.10 pm about 600 yards on the southern edge of the aerodrome.

Second Lieutenant William Parkes died on 1st September, 1918 at Tetbury near Leighterton Aerodrome, Gloucestershire, England as a result of an aeroplane accident.

A Court of Enquiry was held at Leighterton Aerodrome on 2nd September, 1918.

The Report of Squadron Commander – Major W. Anderson, No. 7 Training Squadron, A.F.C. stated “Pilot was on duty and was not to blame. He had been thoroughly instructed in the use of the tail plane adjustment and up till this crash he had been flying well in the air, only his landings being at all uncertain.”
Finding from Court of Enquiry: “The cause of the accident was due to the machine stalling owing to the pilot attempting to do a turn with the engine on and the tail plane adjusted int the “right back” causing the machine to stall and nose dive and spin.”

Second Lieutenant William Parkes was buried in Leighterton Church Cemetery, Leighterton, Gloucestershire, England where 23 other Australian Flying Corps men are buried.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/leighterton.html

Son of William and Selena PARKES of Clunes Road, Creswick, Vic.