Lieutenant Rupert Hardy Parker
Birth
Rupert Hardy Parker was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire in c 1895.
His birth was registered in Grantham in the September quarter of 1895 indicating a birth between July and September of that year.
Family History
Rupert was the only son of Charles John Ernest Parker a Gentleman of Beaconfield House, Harrowby, Grantham and his wife Louisa Dempsey.
By the time of Rupert’s Death, the family home was Ludshott House, Grayshott, Hampshire.
Rupert was educated at Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire and an undergraduate of Christchurch, Oxford.
Charles J. E. Parker married Louisa Dempsey on 18th July 1894. She was the daughter of Arthur Dempsey of The Grange, Noctorum, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
Charles J.E. Parker was born in Great Hale, Lincolnshire in 1864. Charles was a JP and late Captain of the 3rd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He was the son of Charles John Bullivant Parker, JP and Lt-Col of Royal South Lincolnshire Militia.
This makes Rupert the Gt-Grandson of Lt-Col William Parker of Hanthorpe House, Hanthorpe, Lincolnshire. William was Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire and appointed High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1864.
Military History
We are unable to trace Rupert Parker through his WW1 service records or Pension records as these are not listed. It is highly likely that these are part of the burnt records.
From the medal rolls we know that Lieutenant Rupert Parker of the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment entered the French theatre of war on 20th February 1915
The following has been compiled from the history of the Lincolnshire regiment.
On the 16th August 1917 the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment were removed from the front line following heavy losses at the Battle of Langemarck. The three hundred remaining men were joined by their new commander, Lt-Col Irwin of the Essex Regiment, on the 22nd August.
September, October and half of November saw the battalion in trenches around Basseville and Warenton or in support or divisional reserve in the region.
On the 17th November the battalion relieved the Royal Canadian Regiment from the front line near Passchendaele. The enemy guns relentlessly shelled the sector throughout the day with gas shells. By nightfall the battalion had lost 4 men killed, 1 lieutenant and 13 other ranks wounded, 1 captain and 28 other ranks gassed.
The 18th told a similar story with two men killed, 2 officers and 22 other ranks wounded and 12 other ranks gassed. At about 8am about 100 enemy men left their trenches to attack but were repulsed by lewis gun fire.
The Lincolnshire were relieved on the 19th November but 3 more men were killed and 9 wounded before they could leave the trenches.
The battalion entrained at Wieltje for Red Rose Camp at Vlamertinghe after what was a very costly three day tour.
The Battalion returned to Machine Gun Camp St. Jean on the 29th November and then following day marched to California Camp at Wieltje where they took up the role of divisional support.
On the 1st December C Company paraded at 3:15pm and set out for the trenches near Passchendaele. The only way to the front line was by a duck board track across deep clinging mud. The enemy guns had found their mark on the track and only about 20 men reached the front line to take up the two posts on the left battalion front. An hour later the remaining three companies, detailed as assault troops started moving up. It shows the terrible nature of moving up in the fact that it took the first company 5 hours to reach the front of the duck board track. The first company was in position by 10pm and the last company by 12:20am.
The three companies started to attack at 1:55am (2nd December 1917) and immediately were spotted by the enemy who set up heavy machine gun fire. Before their own outpost line was reached every officer of the three companies became a casualty. The advance stopped about 30 yards from the enemy’s front trench and the battalion dug in. They were relieved from this position by the 8th Rifle Brigade and moved back to Camp St. Jean.
In this attack casualties were heavy. Captain A Cowe (Medical officer), Lieutenant Rupert H Parker and 16 other ranks killed. 2nd lieutenants Griffin (Later died of wounds), Eliot, Sowerby, Joyce, Green, Graves, Grant and Perkins along with 64 other ranks wounded. 25 other ranks were missing.
Lieutenant Rupert Hardy Parker was killed in this action during the Battle of Passchendale on 2nd December 1917
Lieutenant Rupert Hardy Parker, 2nd Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, was eligible for the following medals:-
Victory Medal
The British Medal
1915 Star
The medal rolls card also has a line entry that would indicate that Rupert was given the rank of Captain.
Memorial
Lieutenant Rupert Hardy Parker,2nd Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, is remembered with honour on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing which is located 9 km north east of Ieper (Ypres), Belgium.
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