Interesting uniform find, 12th Frontier Force Regiment

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by High Wood, May 30, 2016.

  1. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    I was lucky enough to come across a dealer at today's Malvern Flea who had a box of old military uniforms that he had acquired from a theatrical costumier who was selling off old stock. At first glance they were not very promising with many being moth bitten, most without their original buttons or rank badges. I picked out three Officer's Service Dress tunics that I thought I could do something with in the way of restoration, two being WW2 vintage and a third being 4th/20th Hussars and dating from the 1960s.

    This particular one looks the least promising of the three as it has some light moth damage around the collar and epaulettes and has had the original buttons replaced with ghastly anodised ones. I was immediately attracted by the tailor's label that gave the name and rank of the original owner and the date of the uniform's manufacture.

    The details are as follows: Lt-Col P.W. Parker. I.A. 2-11-45.

    A quick scan of the 1945 Army list revealed that he was promoted from the rank of Major to Lt-Colonel as from the 15th April 1945. A check of the London Gazette revealed that his officer's number was (I.A. 413) using this I found a further entry for 19th December 1946 that stated that he had been awarded a Mention in Dispatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Malaya in 1942 whilst serving with the 12th Frontier Force Regiment. It seems that he and the remnants of his battalion went into captivity in 1942 and that the uniform that I bought today was probably one of the first ones that he ordered from his tailor after his release.

    Now comes the hard part; I have to find some original buttons and shoulder titles to restore the uniform to its original condition.
     

    Attached Files:

    Owen likes this.
  2. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

  3. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Thank you Steve, but I am not sure if it is the same officer. He would have been a Major when captured and his promotion to Lt-Col wasn't announced in the London Gazette until 8th June 1945 with effect from 25th April 1945. His MID entry in the L.G, clearly states 12 F.F. Regiment whereas your entry appears to read 1/55VF.

    I still have a lot more work to do regarding this officer but I will keep you posted.

    Simon.
     
  4. idler

    idler GeneralList

    He isn't listed as a battalion officer (2/12 Frontier Force Regiment) in their history, so he may have been a staff officer somewhere in the theatre.
     
  5. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Hi Simon,

    No problem. The band underneath showing 1/55VF is just a footer for the search engine, it appears on all searches regardless of the soldier in question. Shame he does not look to have a index card, this would have told us more.

    Steve
     
  6. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    It seems that the 2nd battalion were the only battalion in Malaya in 1942 unless I am missing something.
     
  7. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    The third battalion of the 12 RFFR were in Greece in 1944 and 1945 and suffered heavy losses, mostly due to their troopships hitting mines.

    There is a book: The Frontier Force Regiment. Compiled by Brigadier W.E.H. Condon. Which may help, if you can get your hands on it.

    If someone on the forum actually has one, I'd love to have a copy of the pages from their time in Greece.

    Gus
     
  8. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    The 1939 Indian Army list has P.W. Parker as a 3 /12th Frontier Force Regiment officer but he must have transferred to another battalion to have been in Malaya in 1942.
     
  9. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    Ahh, theatrical costumiers - the buttons are Women's Royal Army Corps, as far as you could get from the owner, perhaps!
     
  10. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Indeed they are but the uniform was priced accordingly and I bought it on the basis that the tailor's label might tell an interesting story. Until I can definitively identify Lt-Colonel P.W. Parker's unit I cannot begin to rebadge and rebutton it.

    I will need to find a copy of the 1945 or 1946 Indian Army lists. I have tried to identify P.W. Parkers returning to England from incoming passenger lists and I have several possibilities for his death in England but without knowing what the initials P. W. represent I cannot pin him down. I have only managed to find two references to him in the London Gazette and both are at the end of his career.
     
  11. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Parker. Philip White. PSC. Born 15th April 1900. Unattached 2nd Lt 15-4-1919. I.A. 2nd Lt 19-4-1919. Lt 15-4-1920. Captain 15-4-1925. Major 15-4-1937. Adjt, Qtr-Mr Kitchener College, India 8-12-1932 to 18-3-1934. Staff Captain India 9-9-1937.

    Army List 1938. 492.
     
  12. idler

    idler GeneralList

    PSC certainly supports him having a role beyond the regiment.
    There are some nominal rolls for Malayan formations in WO361(?) that might be worth a look. He wasn't mentioned in the 8 Ind Inf Bde one that I've got.
     
  13. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    The National Army Museum, Department of Archives, photographs, film and Sound were given in 1994: "Lt-Col Philip White Parker. Indian Army, papers relating to his time as a prisoner of the Japanese 1942-45." Accession number 9410-43.

    It looks like a trip to the National Army Museum is on the cards.
     
  14. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    idler,

    thank you for your help with this. It would seem that your idea that he might have been a Staff Officer is likely to be correct.

    Simon
     
  15. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    I think that I have found evidence of his return to the U.K. in 1950 along with his wife Elizabeth. He is listed as an Army Officer aged 49. His Country of last permanent residence is listed as Pakistan which would support the assumption that he was serving with the 12/ Frontier Force Regiment who were based at Sialkot in Pakistan.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. idler

    idler GeneralList

    The NAM find looks a good 'un. Hope it pays off.
     
  17. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    The 1946 Army List has this in addition to the 1938 list: Staff Captain India 9-9-1937 to 31-7-1939.Brig-Major 1-8-1939 to 16-10-1940. There is no record of his service between 1940 and 1946.
     
  18. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    Unfortunately a trip to the NAM is off the table until next year as the museum is closed for reconstruction until then. There is provision for use of the archive at the London Metropolitan Archive, but there is a delay in supply (not unlike the British Library - and have you considered the India Office collection there?)
     
  19. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    I have made an online enquiry and have only asked for his regimental details at this stage. However, if the catalogue description has been more accurate I could gleaned the information from that alone. I will of course make a visit to look at his papers in detail when the NAM reopens.
     
  20. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Having the History of 11 Indian Div from Kew, I had a look through it the other night to see if there was a 'cast list'; sadly not.
    However, I've just googled "major parker" malaya and one hit looks to be a pdf of the Australian official history:
    "The order was conveyed by Major Parker, a West Australian in the Indian Army, serving on Key's staff..."
    A footnote identifies Major Parker as "Col P W Parker, GSO2 11 Indian Div. Regular soldier b. 15 April 1900."
    Bingo!
    The 11 Ind Div WD ought to identify his appointment, but I haven't got that one.
     

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