Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daniel Leslie PARRY

Military Medal

Recommendation:-POZIERES, 2nd September, 1916.

'Performed most excellent work as linesman frequently under heavy fire and bad weather conditions. On two nights he was out for over 5 hours and it was entirely owing to his efforts that all possible communication was kept up.' 

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 62 Date: 19 April 1917

Although, Daniel had left Bendigo prior to enlisting his war service still featured quite often in the local papers. Daniel was the son of Mr. William. J Parry, of Wills street, who was the Secretary of the Bendigo Masonic Lodge, a highly respected and influential position in Bendigo at the time. Prior to enlisting Daniel was an accountant in the office of Messrs. Thomas Collier and Son of Flinders street, Melbourne. The local paper said at the time of enlisting his employer had guaranteed to hold his position until he returns. 

Daniel became a signaller on enlisting and we read in the

Bendigo Advertiser in June 1916 that:-

‘Mr. W. J Parry has received a letter from his son Signaller D. L. Parry who is attached to the Headquarters Signalling Staff in Egypt. Signaller Parry studied signailing thoroughly before leaving Australia and was regarded as very competent. Recentiy he has studied assiduously in order to make himself proficient in every branch of his work, and he informs his father that he has succeeded in securing a first class certificate, with honors, obtaining 98.45 per cent over seven tests. This is a very creditable record, as 91.20 per cent, is considered good. Signaller Parry's ability has been the subject of favourable comment by his officers[1]

The Bendigo Advertiser printed under the heading ‘WOUNDED SOLDIERS’ that: -                                                                   ‘Signaller D. L. Parry, with the Australian forces in France, had been slightly wounded. Signaller Parry has been in France since May, 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal last year for bravery under fire at Pozieres and was decorated with the medal by Sir William Birdwood on the 18th October.’[2]

Daniel wrote frequently to his father and these were well circulated in the local press. One of these letters in The Bendigo Independent gave the reader a glowing report on as the heading said: - FRENCH OPINION OF AUSTRALIANS,

Mr, W. J. Parry of Wills Street, whose son, L.-Corporal D. L. Parry. M.M., 46 th Battalion was Iast week reported as having been gassed, sends the following translation of an article that appeared in Le Figaro (France) of May 10. last: — VILLIERS BRETONKEUX RIDGE. 

These Australians of General Birdwood are amongst the most magnificent soldiers in the British Army. They are the famous Anzacs of the terrible Battle of Gallipoli. It will soon be four years since they left their distant country. What losses! Not one leaves home either but their spirit is the same now as it was at the beginning of the war. Our land has become theirs. All the noblest ideals of our common cause are in the large breasts of these bronze warriors who came from the Antipodes, and are equal to the warriors as depicted in the statues of Ancient Greeks. When one speaks of them of Amiens they repeat the immortal words of the Poilus of Verdun; — "They Shall Not Pass. " [3]

SERVICE DETAILS: 

Regimental No. 3983

Place of birth: Bendigo

Religion: Presbyterian

Occupation: Clerk

Address: Bendigo

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 24

Next of kin: Father, William J Parry, 60 Willis Street, Bendigo

Enlistment date: 27 August 1915

Unit name: 14th & 46th  Battalion

Final rank: Lieutenant

Fate: Returned to Australia June 2 1919

Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 62

Date: 19 April 1917, on page 928 at position 19

POZIERES- 2nd September, 1916.

For many of the men who fought on the Western Front, Pozières was just the beginning of a long and bloody series of battles they would fight again and again for whatever remained of their broken lives. This series of actions elicited the greatest quantum of Australian sacrifice of any single campaign in our military history.  In five weeks of fighting in mid 1916, the Australian First, Second and Fourth Divisions sustained 23,000 casualties, 5,000 of whom were killed.[4]

[1] Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918)  Thu 22 Jun 1916  Page 5 SIGNALLER D. L. PARRY

[2] The Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918)  Thu 26 Apr 1917  Page 2 WOUNDED SOLDIERS.
[3] The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Mon 12 Aug 1918  Page 5 FRENCH OPINION OF AUSTRALIANS,
[4] Virtual War Memorial Australia https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/103

Photo – Australian War Memorial  DA11728

Studio portrait of 3983 Private (Pte) Daniel Leslie Parry, 12th Reinforcements, 14th Battalion, of Bendigo, Vic. Pte Parry enlisted on 27 August 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ceramic on 23 November 1915. He was tranferred to the 46th Battalion and was awarded the Military Medal (MM) on 9 December 1916. On 14 October 1918 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant (Lt). Lt Parry returned to Australia on 2 June 1919.