Military History

Edward is listed as dying of wounds on 3 Nov 1914 at the 13th General Hospital in Boulogne. We know from records that he would have been transferred to Boulogne from the front lines in the Ypres area. The battalion where in action at Langemarck from the 21st to the 25th Oct 1914 when 92 men were wounded and from 27th Oct to 2nd Nov 1914 they were in action near Gheluvelt. From an article in the Rugby Advertiser on 14 Nov 1914 we know that on the 15th Oct Edward was well and unwounded.

Given the above we are unable to tell from the war diary when or where Edward was wounded and therefore we have not transcribed the war diary entries for that time, however the newspaper article mentioned above is transcribed below thanks to Rugby Family History Group for the transcription and photo.

Rugby Advertiser, 14th November 1914

RUGBY GUARDSMAN’S DEATH FROM WOUNDS.

General sympathy will be felt with Mrs E J Parker, of 19 Corbett Street, Rugby, who has received information that her husband, Lance-Corpl Parker, of the Coldstream Guards, has died from a gunshot wound in the back in a hospital in France. The first news that her husband had been wounded was conveyed to Mrs Parker early last week in the following letter from Sister Cameron, of the Hospital: ”Your husband has been very badly wounded, and I am very much afraid he will not recover. He wished to send a message to you just to say that he had been wounded, and was anxious to get well for your sake and the baby’s, and to send his love".

The official news did not arrive until November 4th, and shortly after this the following letter was received from the Rev Hedley R Burrows, chaplain of the Forces: ” You will have heard by this time that your husband has been taken to his rest.   He died here of his wounds at 1.45 p.m on November 3rd. I was with him just about an hour before the end, and gave him the Blessing. He gave me your address, and sent his love to you and the children. The doctors and nurses worked with great skill and devotion to save his life. I hope you will be comforted in your great loss, and sustained by the sense of power that Christ will bring to all those who suffer in the faithful discharge of their duty. No act of duty done is ever forgotten or thrown away.”

Lance-Corpl Parker, who was 32 years of age and a native of Dunchurch, was well known in the town. He had been in the employ of the L & NW Railway for ten years, and when called up was head shunter. He had served three years with the colours and nine in the reserve, and had signed on for further service. He leaves a widow and two young children, with whom much sympathy is expressed.

In one of his letters from the front he said: ”Things are a bit warm, shells bursting over and around us all day, and we are burrowed in the ground like rabbits. I have just been touched with a bit on the lip and foot, but nothing to hurt – got a thick lip, that’s all.” On October 15th he wrote: ” We are still in the trenches and in the same place but, of course, we must not say where. I expect when we move it will be a move with a vengeance, and I hope that I shall go through it all right. Still, what is to be will be. I thought we should be home for Christmas, but I am doubtful about it now. I am afraid there is some very heavy work to be done yet. It will take a lot more men, and I think that there will be little trouble to get them according to the papers”.