Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

3011 Trooper Ernest Cecil Hatwell Parkes, 8th Light Horse Regiment. Born at Warrnambool in 1891, the youngest son of George and Susannah (Kendall) Parkes. Cecil's mother died when he was five years old, and his father went to Birregurra to live with his daughter Clara, and her husband George Whytcross. He enlisted on 22nd March 1916, in Birregurra, and embarked on HMAT A6 Clan Maccorquadale. Died of wounds on 12th November 1917 at Junction Station, during the clearing of the Maritime Plain, between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean Sea. Sgt James Bowman (William Nesbitt James Bowman, of Yarpturk), of the 8th was recommended for a Victoria Cross, and ultimately awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (known in the ranks as the Digger’s VC), for attempting to bring in the badly-wounded Tpr Parkes on Burkusie Ridge. One of his fellows wrote to the Red Cross Information Bureau: “About ten miles inland from the coast on the outer side of Bir Saba near a big enemy aerodrome, enemy attacked British Mounted Regiment, at about 2pm the 8th Light Horse went out to cover their retreat. Parkes was seen lying wounded in the back, at the end of the day he was reported ‘missing’; on the day following at a place called Junction Station an enemy hospital was captured (Wadi Surar Turkish Hospital staffed by Austrian doctors and staff), and there Parkes was found lying wounded; he died very soon after the 8th had captured the place.” The Parish Record of 16 March 1918 noted: “Since our last issue another of St. George’s boys died of wounds. His death occurred in Palestine, not far from Jerusalem, which he was expecting to see shortly when he last wrote.” He has no known grave, his name is commemorated on Panel 34, Jerusalem Memorial, and also on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Ballarat, the Birregurra & District Residents Roll of Honour, the Birregurra Christ Church Anglican Church Honour Roll, the Birregurra Christ Church Anglican Church Memorial Window, the Birregurra War Memorial, and the Christ Church Roll of Honour, Warrnambool.

His sister Clara Whytcross was named as his legatee in his last will, his father was still living in Birregurra with George and Clara when he corresponded with Base Records in 1919 about the return of his son’s possessions. In 1899 his older brother Albert Henry Parkes had married Annie Malina Artso in Warrnambool, the older sister of Edward Harold Artso, who died on 18th May 1918 of wounds suffered at Morlancourt in the last months of the Great War, he is buried on the Vignacourt British Cemetery, France. Edward Artso is also commemorated on the Christ Church Roll of Honour, Warrnambool. Albert and Annie had four children, Wilfred Clyde 1900-12, Albert George 1901-74, Ellie Douglas 1905, and Frank Wilton 1906, Annie died in October 1920 and is buried in Warrnambool Cemetery beside her eldest son Wilfred. Albert Henry Parkes was thought to have joined the AIF under a false name, and was believed to have been killed in action, after deserting his wife Annie and their children.

Sources: Blair & Affleck, For King & Country – Great War Enlistments from Warrnambool and District; Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour; National Archives of Australia; The AIF Project; Virtual War Memorial Australia; Parish Record 16 March 1918. 

Courtesy of James Affleck 2025