Tracing Ancestor And Photographic Memorabilia To Share

The collection of the 18th Hussars is at The Discovery Museum in Newcastle
Discovery Museum

 

I see the Kentish Gazette is still going & reporting on the Canterbury, Whitstable & Herne Bay areas. If you don't have the text that went with the photo perhaps they could help.

But it looks like it was also in the Kent & East Sussex Courier 1st Feb 1974
Results for 'sendlargely' | British Newspaper Archive


There are also these index entries in the British Newspaper Archive that may be about him. As it relies on OCR its best to see the original article. The BNA is a subscription service, but usually free at your local library.

The Burma Veterans remember "Mce Parker......
. dispirited as they crossed the Burma - India border during the great retreat. Capt. Jack Parker, her husband, was staff captain at Darjeeling, serving with the North Bengal Mounted Rifles. It was in July, 1942. that Mrs. Parker opened the ...
Published 11th May 1973 in the Herne Bay Press

In Memoriam
.. IN MEMORIAM PARKER. Captain Jack. —ln loving memory of my dear husband, called to rest. October 29th. 1952. I’ve lost my life companion. A lile linked with my own; God alone knows how I miss him. As I journey on alone.” Never will be forgotten by his ...
Published 30th October 1954 Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald

In Memoriam
. memory of dear Lyd, who passed away February Ist, 1938-—From her husband and family. “ Gone but not forgotten.” CAPTAIN PARKER. Happy memories of Jack on his birth- day. Beloved and mourned. Lillian. iRETERS. In loving memory of my dear husband, George Ediward ...
14 Feb 1953 Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1950-01-01/1999-12-31?basicsearch=captain jack parker india&somesearch=captain jack parker india&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&county=kent, england&page=3

Others in this link

.. England at the end of the war. Capt. and Mrs. Parker lived at Tankerton, but after four years Capt. Parkerdied. The widow then came to Herne Bay to live. Never forgotten for her great work in Darjeeling. Ma Parker's face proved familiar ...

.. NEVER FORGET Mr. Blackburn said he was in the area between 1942 and 1943 and again in 194::. Mrs. Parker was at Darjeeling when the 14th Army retreated back into India, and she was awarded the Kaisei-in-Hind silver medal for her public services. She worked ...

. from Lancashire. Mrs Parker, the widow of an Indian Army captain, was one of a number of volunteers who took a mobile canteen into the Burma Road a rea for the benefit of retreating men of the 14th Army. Then, back at her home at Darjeeling, she set up a ...

Results for 'mrs parker darjeeling' | Between 1st Jan 1970 and 31st Dec 1979 | Kent, England | Location | British Newspaper Archive

Travers

Edit: Looks like his name may have been Joseph

. DEATH OF CAPTAIN J. PARKER We regret to report the death, which occurred Wednesday, of CaptainJoseph Parker, of 18, Herne Bay Road, Tankerton. Captain Parker joined the Army in ...
1st November 1952 Whitstable Times & Herne Bay herald
Results for 'captain parker tankerton' | Kent, England | Location | British Newspaper Archive

Further entries reveal Minnie Lilian "Ma" Parker died July 1975 then living at 96 Central Parade, Herne Bay.

 

Update to Post 16 due to a long interruption.

The Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles (NBMR) was an all-white formation, cavalry and infantry, part of the Auxiliary Force (India), which provided a reserve force primarily for military aid to the civil power in areas which did not have a regular army garrison (either British or Indian).

On the limited information here I expect your grandfather was employed in the tea industry in the hilly part of Bengal, Darjeeling being the most well known town, and served in the NBMR before 1914 or after war started. Given his age he volunteered to serve in WW1. The photos in Post 8 & 9 appear to not show him in NMBR uniform.

The niggle is that it appears neither the 13th or 18th Royal Hussars served in India in 1922. To be fair they could have done, regimental service may be recorded, it does not appear to be online.

After WW1 he returned home to Darjeeling and did not continue to serve in the NMBR, it appears many local white members could be quite casual with their attendance at regular training. Travers post above indicates he like so many returned to serve in the NBMR when WW2 came close.

I have not tried to search for him in Darjeeling as a tea employee.

 

This is amazing!!

It's the first time that I've actually seen their names mentioned anywhere so just confirms 'they existed'. Also now have correct spelling of names and DOD so can hopefully research back from that.


Tankerton, where Jack died, is just a few miles from Herne Bay where Lilian passed. By the sounds of it Lilian moved to Herne bay around 1956 and my Grandparents moved down there around 1968.I used to spend all my summers down there and remember visiting Lilian in the flat she had on the seafront, although I would have been just 8 when she died. It's seems like she was quite busy herself and is well worth a mention in her own right, as opposed to just an officers wife.

 

Captain Parker was my Grandfathers Uncle. My Grandfather was out in Burma at one point but I know very little about his military service. The 1922 picture wasn't necessarily taken in India, to me I'm just assuming that was the regiment he was with at the time wherever based. I have uploaded some more photos to my album if anyone's interested, but won't clog this post with them. These show they were in Sylhet, Assam around 1929 to 1931 and Lucknow at least part of that. They were back in the UK for 1935 as there is an album dedicated to a trip in Morecombe. The picture of my Grandfather was taken in 1926 and maybe in Manchester (most of the writing is illegible), but they are not in it so is of little help with regards their location.

 

Following on from Travers excellent find here`s the whole article[from the page] Travers found which throws up another puzzle it states they had a son Lieutenant John Parker 921) killed at Kohima attached to a Gurkha unit [The puzzle being I cannot find him on the CWGC ] Gives his correct unit too.






Kyle

 

The other clipping which gives details of a surviving nephew.



Kyle

 

Well I'm shocked by that as there's never been any talk of them having a child and I wouldn't be surprised if that was an error. The Nephew W J Richmond is my Grandfather.

For the last 4 hours I've been trying to confirm her maiden name but while there's only a few, I cannot find any trace of their marriage. Now there's a potential son/birth to look for??

 

Could this be him?

 

I did see some mention of that in National Archives early hours this morning. Not understanding all the information, if the 'Date of entry 1914' was when he was captured then that would have made him 18 at the time.

Spent hours last night researching the wrong person and was gutted. Gave up at at 5am.

 

Indian Army List for January 1941

Indian Army List for October Part 1 - 1945


Deaths Oct - Dec 1952
Surname PARKER
First name(s) Joseph
Age 56
District Bridge [Kent, includes Whitstable]
Vol 5b
Page 55

 

Yes that looks like him in documents as I believe he was 2nd lieutenant before Captain.

That's the details I have for him now. The confusion was when his wife died in 1975 she was recorded at Canterbury. When I searched him there was a Joseph Robert B (or R B) Parker who was recorded at Canterbury in 1954. I got the dates mixed up and went with it only to find at 4.30am there was a Joseph Parker recorded at Bridge (which I'd never heard of) in 1952 and this was prior to them changing the boundaries and including Whitstable/Tankerton under Canterbury. If that makes sense.

Had no luck finding his registered birth yet but from what his wife said in a newspaper clipping remembering on his birthday after his death he would have been born in the middle of February and from his death in 1952 it states he was 56 so that should make the year 1896.

Was so tired in the end last night I was typing in the wrong information, was time for sleep. I thought I'd be content with just finding him but it's becoming an obsession as I find out more.

 

The Medal card shows this soldier to have been a prisoner of war. Red Cross Records show he was captured at Mons 24th August 1914 with B Company (Troop ?) 18th Hussars, not wounded & still a pow in Feb 1918 being held in Germany. Home address given as Hyde Street, Manchester & born Manchester 17.9.1893. Of course the pow records compiled by the germans could be wrong in some respects.
NB: on one Red Cross doc his service number is given as 40295.

Close service numbers indicate an enlistment date of May-Sept 1913 for regimental number 10295.

WW1 Medal Rolls show that he was still serving when the roll was compiled in 1922.

This info fits with him being a regular before WW1, having the 1914 Star with rosette, & possibly still in the army when the 18th Hussars group photo was taken, but does it ring any bells as to the location of any family of Jack Parker that you know of ? It's possible that the dob is one he gave in order to join up underage, so became his permanent "army age".

His entry on the 1921 census, military or civilian may help to rule him in or out.

Travers

 

I was expecting to find he was born and based in London for some reason. Perhaps because my Grandfather was born here and I expected him to be local. In some of the photos I have dated 1926 & 1927 it does say 'at the bungalow in Manchester' so it wouldn't be completely out of place. Is there any sites I can go to and research his service number? Maybe see if that ties in with what I know.

Also I'll expand me search for his birth up that way in case.

 

This history of the 18th Hussars goes up to 1922. They arrived in India in 1919 and were stationed at Secunderabad until October 1921 when they moved to Risalpur on the NW Frontier. The Prince of Wales visited the regiment in March 1922. They sailed from India 19th October 1922 & arrived at Southampton Nov 11th for travel to Aldershot & amalgamation with the 13th Hussars. Over a hundred of the men due to be posted to other Hussars regiments remained in India to look after the horses before the Scots Greys took over.
http://www.newmp.org.uk/sitedocs/Memoirs_of_the_18th_(QMO)_Royal_Hussars_1906-1922.pdf

 

Again that's interesting as I have a few photos dated 1931 with his wife posing with a 'sick horse'.

Some things that made no sense before are beginning to knit together.

 

One of the big problems I have, as CJP mentions in his letter, is that his wife's handwriting is terrible. Reading his exact words again he says 'like all Londoners'. From this I can safely assume that she was from London and assume by the remark that he was not?

 

Well another unplanned 4.30am finish but some great results. Have now confirmed her maiden name and place of birth, plus also their marriage date which was registered near me in Oct 1919 so confirms he was in UK then.

 

Now you are confident of his WW1 service number you can apply to UK MOD/National Archives for his service record.

Get a copy of military records of service

Good Luck

Steve

 

The date and place of this marriage is a good fit for the 18th Hussars being stationed at Barracks in Hounslow from 31st March 1919 on their return from Germany to 18th November 1919 when they sailed for India. So could be a a couple wishing to get married before he leaves for several years in India.

Not all wives were able to accompany their husbands overseas due to the lack of married quarters. If she did not accompany him being married meant he could allocate part of his wages as a separation allowance, which at least in WW1 the army matched.

10295 Parker, Joseph of the 18th Hussars would if joining the regular army in 1913 have usually signed for a twelve year term split between full time service & time on the reserve. The split varied due to army/government needs for building the reserve etc, but if his was 9yrs & 3yrs he would have been due to go on reserve in 1922, which would probably have been delayed until the regiments deployment back to the UK in October. Maybe you could also take your transfer to the reserves & also stay in India or he opted to go back to India later with his wife.

Re his service number, in 1920 the whole army was renumbered & men received for the first time a unique service number to replace the previous regimental ones which up till then were duplicated in several regiments & even across battalions of the same regiment. In this exercise the Cavalry were renumbered from the sequence 309001 to 721000. Some years ago when the army had no further use for them the attestation books for this exercise were offered to the regiments or their museums so they may still exist (at the museum in Newcastle ?)

For his service in WW1 & before & after its worth posting on the site that works in the same way as this one, lots of helpful folks interested in assisting for free.
Great War Forum

Travers