John William PARSONS DSO, MID

John William PARSONS DSO, MID Update Details

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PARSONS, John William

Service Number:	Officer
Enlisted:	17 March 1915, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank:	Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit:	11th Light Horse Regiment
Born:	Encounter Bay, South Australia, 12 October 1878
Home Town:	Two Wells, Mallala, South Australia
Schooling:	Inman Valley Public School, South Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Natural causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 6 February 1957, aged 78 years
Cemetery:	Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia RSL Wall 120/Niche B014
Memorials:	Victor Harbor WW1 Roll of Honour, Yankalilla District Roll of Honour WW1

World War 1 Service

17 Mar 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Officer, Adelaide, South Australia
18 Mar 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 11th Light Horse Regiment
18 Mar 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 11th Light Horse Regiment, A.A.M.C., [4th Mil., Dist.] 4th Military District - Adelaide, SA, Australia. As per stated (NAA, Pg's-1, 34).
2 Jun 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Major, 11th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: ''
2 Jun 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Major, 11th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Medic, Brisbane
25 Apr 1919:	Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 11th Light Horse Regiment

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Biography

Served 21 months with Yankalilla Mounted Rules, South Australia

Served as a Private with 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles in Boer War

Invalided to Australia June 1900.

Biography contributed by Xavier Two Wells

John William Parsons was born on 12th October, 1878, in Encounter Bay, South Australia. Hewent to Inman Valley Public School. After he finished school in 1892, he worked as a farmer at Two Wells.

Parsons joined the Mounted Rifles during 1896. He then served in South Africa during the Boer War for two years in 1900-1902. After the war, he attended the Coronation of King Edward in 1902. After the coronation, he passed all the tests other than Military law, allowing him to become a Major in 1903. Parsons arrived home on 27 April 1909 to marry Mrs C. G. A. Parsons. They then lived at Largs Bay, South Australia.

On March 17th, 1915. John enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, and he joined the 11th Light Horse Regiment. He joined in Adelaide and started his training. During this time, John was given the role of AIF Officer A7. According to his medical certificate he was 6 ft 1 in tall, his chest measurement was 36½–39½ in, he weighed approximately 84 kg, and had good eyesight.

John served in the Middle East with the 11th Light Horse Regiment and rose through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel in his unit. He was awarded a Distinguised Service Order in June 1917. He applied for a leave of absense at the beginning of 1918 because his wife was ill. This was granted and he returned to Australia 15 February 1918. He embarked again for the Middle East in April 1918 and marched out to his unit in June

John then came back to Australia on 25 December 1918, where he was then discharged from the AIF as a Lieutenant Colonel on 20th July 1919.

John died on 7 February 1957, at 78, due to natural causes. He was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.

Reference

Victorharborrsl.com.au. (2025). PARSONS, John William – Victor Harbor RSL Sub-branch. [online] Available at: https://victorharborrsl.com.au/parsons-john-william/ [Accessed 12 Nov. 2025].

Vwma.org.au. (2025). Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/projects/203944/edit [Accessed 10 Nov. 2025].

Awm.gov.au. (2025). Lieutenant Colonel John William Parsons. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10679966 [Accessed 10 Nov. 2025].

Adfa.edu.au. (2025). Details. [online] Available at: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=234503 [Accessed 10 Nov. 2025].

Terrace, V. (2025). View digital copy. [online] Naa.gov.au. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8005666 [Accessed 10 Nov. 2025].

Centennial Park I Adelaide\'s most beautiful cemetery and memorial park. (2022). John William Parsons | Centennial Park. [online] Available at: https://www.centennialpark.org/memorial-search-list/john-william-parsons-100508/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2025].

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