Name
Jesse Parker
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/05/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
102281
Notts & Derby (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment
2nd/6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WALKERN (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Walkern War Memorial,
Not on the Stevenage Old Town memorials,
Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Jesse was the youngest son of George & Emma Parker of Totts Lane, Walkern.
Before joining the Army he had been employed for 10 years as a Baker by C.E.Pearman in Walkern.
He enlisted in the Army in on the 10th November 1915 and initially served with the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment.
Wartime Service
Formerly 5801 in the Hertfordshire Regiment.
He arrived in France on the 31st July 1916 and was transferred to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment on the 22nd August 1916. Jesse was to be wounded many times, firstly on the 3rd October 1916, then again on the 12th March1917.
On the 6th July 1917, whilst undertaking physical training, Jesse sprained an ankle and fractured a fibula. He was taken to No. 20 General Hospital and was sent back to England where he was admitted to the Birmingham War Hospital.
After recovering from his injuries, he was posted to the Ballybonare Camp in County Cork, Southern Ireland, where he remained until March 1918 when he was sent back to France, arriving at Cherbourg on the 25th March. The Germans had commenced their Spring Offensive on the 21st March 1918 and many of the British Regiments had suffered grievous losses, with many men being taken prisoner.
As a result, a number of Regiments were seriously depleted and needed reinforcing and Jesse found himself transferred to the 2nd/6th Notts & Derbys Regiment. He arrived at the Headquarters of "C" Company on the 2nd April and two weeks later, on the 16th April, was again wounded in the face and hands. He was taken to No. 13 General Hospital in Boulogne on the 19th April and was moved to No. 83 General Hospital the following day.
On the 23rd April he was taken to Sidcup for treatment where he developed Pneumonia to which he failed to respond to treatment and died on the 9th May. Jesse is buried in the St. Mary’s Churchyard, Walkern.
The newspaper report of his death recorded:
Walkern’s second war death announced this week is that of Private Jesse Parker, youngest son of Mr. Robert Parker. Aged 27, Private Parker was wounded in France and brought to Sidcup, Kent, where he died on Thursday week. He was attached to the Notts. & Derby Regiment, and was formerly employed for ten years by Mr. C. E. Pearman, baker. He was very obliging, and was greatly respected by all the customers he served. He joined up two and a half years ago. Private Parker was accorded military honours at the funeral at Walkern on Tuesday. New Zealanders from the Stevenage Depot carried the coffin, which was covered with the Union Jack, and a detachment of the military took part in the funeral procession. In addition to the family mourners, there also followed twelve Foresters, of which Society he was a member, and his late employers, Mr. and Mrs. Pearman. People from Ardeley and Bennington attended the service, the church being full. The military fired three volleys over the grave. Among the wreaths was one from Mr. and Mrs. Pearman. Miss Kitchener played the “Dead March” at the conclusion of the church service.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson, Derry Warners
