5619232 Edward Percy PARRIS, B Coy, 10th Btn Parachute Regiment

Hi there,
I’m new to the forum and after some advice please.
I’m researching my Grandad who served with B Coy 10th Btn Parachute regiment and was captured at Arnhem. He was 5619232 Lance Corporal Edward Percy Parris. He served in Egypt, Italy (Operation Slapstick), and Holland (Arnhem). So far I’ve found his POW records and medal records but I’m trying to find out which regiment he served with before he volunteered for the Paras and also any info on his parachute training records. I’m currently waiting for his birth certificate to arrive so that I can then contact MOD and see if I can get hold of his service records but I’m guessing this will be a slow process.
Do any members have any info on the the 10th Btn?
I’ve checked on Paradata and managed to get a photo of B Coy which is nice and there’s some info on the history of the 10th Btn and their actions during the war but I’m now looking for more personal info on my Grandad if there’s any out there.
Can anyone point me in the right direction and advise where I could look or does anyone have any info on the 10th or knew other men who served with them?

many thanks,

 

Hi,

His army service number of 5619232 suggests he originally joined The Devonshire Regiment.

I’m sure other members with knowledge of 10 Para will be able to help you further.

Steve

 

Thanks Steve,
It’s puzzled me for a long time and my Mum and aunts couldn’t remember which regt he joined up with. He lived in South East London so I’m surprised it could’ve been the Devonshire Regiment. Why do you think his service number is related to the Devonshire?
Regards
Tony

 

Remember it is a copy of his death certificate they need.

 

Hi Teddy, Teddy Edward taken from the 10 Para nominal roll. Not much, sorry, but an interesting 'nickname'.

Best.
John

 

Initially, Army Regiments were given a block of numbers, to issue as service numbers when people joined them, 5619232 falls into the Devonshire Regt block allocation.



However, just to muddy the waters further, 10 Para Bn were initially formed from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment.

 

Hi,

He may have been a conscript so he would’ve had no say in which regiment he served.

Steve

 

Hi John,
Yes I’ve seen this before, we have no idea what the nickname is about but it’s funny

 

That makes sense, yes I’d read that the initial volunteers were 2nd Royal Sussex Rgt but I’d just like to know for sure. It does seem more likely that he was from the Devonshire though from what you’ve said

 

I was sent an image showing details of Jump Course no. 40 (May 11th-16th). It shows a ‘Parris’ aged 21 but the service number is 5619635 which is different to my Grandad Ted’s but I’m just wondering if this could be him and someone had made an error with his number? Is that a possibility?
It’s an unusual surname, I can’t believe there were many men named Parris in the Btn.
Any ideas anyone?

 

I'd guess an incorrect service number on the jump records. I'm currently working on the Chindit flight manifests and I've encountered dozens of incorrect service numbers on official documents, also, 5619635 belongs to William John Shoulder, Devonshire Regt.

Coincidentally, also from London.

 

Hello,

A book and video on the 10th:

Desert Rise - Arnhem Descent: the 10th Parachute Battalion in the Second World War *SIGNED* by Peters, Martin & Niall Cherry & John Howes & Graham Francis: Good (2016) Signed by Author(s) | Klondyke



Regards ...

 

Thankyou

 

Hi John,
Thanks for this,
My Grandad lived in Woolwich which isn’t far from Camberwell, they’re both south east London so it’s looking like my Grandad was originally with the Devonshire Rgt along with the chap on this medal card image you posted. Thanks for clarifying that the service number is probably just a clerical error on the jump record and this probably is my Grandad, just the wrong service number

 

Teddy,

Interesting point I read yesterday about wartime official records similar to: no-one expected the records to be examined decades later.

 

Teddy Edward ,rather interestingly, I've found another medal card to a Richard Edward Parris, who was in the Devonshire Regt.

 

Hi Teddy
Yes according to my records that was his jump course. Most of the men on that particular course were in the 10th and later fought at Arnhem. Of those you have shown, L.Cpl Secrett was killed there. Bennett, Dibb, MacCabbee, Walker and Wilkinson were among those captured like your Grandad.
I have him on my list as captured and wounded on the 19th, on or close to Amsterdamseweg. In the Nominal Roll in Desert Rise Arnhem Descent I include the POW camp and numbers where known. In his case, POW number 117792, Camp XIB - Fallingbostel. Although I don't have details of his wound and cannot confirm that he was treated at Apeldoorn, his number falls right in the middle of a large batch, several hundred men, that were transferred from there as Walking wounded on the 26th September, to Fallingbostel.

Doing a quick search by service number I can see about a dozen Devonshire Regt men that served in the 10th at Arnhem.

Can I suggest that you pay a visit to the Cornelius Ryan archives on the Ohio University website. They have the questionnaire completed by your grandfather in 1967, and notes from a follow up interview. Unfortunately it is all mis-recorded as E.Paris.
Good luck
Graham

 

I should add, that although in Desert Rise - Arnhem Descent he is recorded as B Company, as you yourself have referred to him as being in, since 2023 when the Third edition was published his Ryan Archive papers have become available. They make it clear that at the Battle of Arnhem he was serving in the MMG Platoon in S Company.

 

Thanks for this, I visited the website and found this document which is a questionnaire written by my Grandad detailing the events when he landed at Arnhem. It’s amazing to read what actually happened to him and it’s in his own words. I didn’t think I’d find anything like this.
You guys on this forum have so much knowledge, I would never have found this on my own.

 

Hi Graham,
Thanks for this information, I have looked at the questionnaire completed by my Grandad and it’s amazing to read. Do you have a copy of your book that I could purchase?