Sergeant Willie Parks died in South Africa 1899 COMPLETE

[Eddie Parks]

Hi Guys

Having been stunned by the speed at which my last brick wall was demolished I am hoping for an even bigger miracle.

I am looking for any information on Sgt W Parks of the Gloucestershire Regiment who died accidentally while serving with his regiment outside Ladysmith in Natal during the Boer War on 16 Oct 1899. The story is that he was the Regimental Band Sgt. While he was asleep in his tent an officer's servent was cleaning his master's revolver nearby when it went off. The bullet struck Sgt P in the groin and he subsequently died. Nasty!

His death is confirmed on Ancestry and I have a note from the regimental magazine, the "Backbadger" about the circumstances of his death.

But I can find no other trace of him anywhere.

I'd be most grateful for steer.

Eddie

[Maths girl]

His death is confirmed on Ancestry and I have a note from the regimental magazine, the "Backbadger" about the circumstances of his death.

But I can find no other trace of him anywhere.

I'd be most grateful for steer.

Eddie

Does the Back Badger give any more details eg age, first name, because with a name as common as Parks you are unlikely to be able to narrow it down to a specific W Parks

[Eddie Parks]

No, that's the problem - its just a W there and in the Honour Roll for the Boer War. If I could find him on the Medal Roll - which is supposed to be on Ancestry - that might well give me a first name. But I can't!

Eddie

[peterd]

this might do better in the military section ?

[Eddie Parks]

A kind soul has found me the roll:

The link to the medal roll is http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx= ... pid=319871

This at least gives a second initial so he's now Sgt W P Parks - which may be a start!

Eddie

[cid]

There is this, don't know how much of a help it will be.

Name: PARKS, W
Rank: Sergeant
Soldier number: 2322
Unit: 1 Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
Notes: The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Defence of Ladysmith
Memorial:
Cathedral Chapter House. Plaque under east window. County Gloucester Gloucestershire England
Casualty details: Killed on 16 Oct 1899 at Ladysmith (Official casualty roll location: Ladysmith)
Unit: 1 Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
Source: Natal Field Force. JB Hayward & Sons

[Eddie Parks]

What is that from? Sorry silly question I've just worked it out!!!

[Eddie Parks]

Just bumping this one up a bit. I have now discovered that his regimental nickname was "Willie" - in fact if you google "Willie Parks Boer War" you get just the one hit.

I have also learnt that his battalion was stationed in India at the start of the Boer War.

BUT I can still find no trace of him as a civilian. Anyone any ideas?

Eddie

[snoopysue]

Do you have any other info; DOB, where he lived, where his family lived, wife's name etc!

[Eddie Parks]

Sadly that's the whole point. I have nothing except the military information on his death. No age, no family, nothing. And since he died in service his record does not exist.
He may well be a lost cause - but I have managed to crack similar chaps in the past.
Eddie

[snoopysue]

Sadly that's the whole point. I have nothing except the military information on his death. No age, no family, nothing. And since he died in service his record does not exist.
He may well be a lost cause - but I have managed to crack similar chaps in the past.
Eddie

Without further info, this may be a lost cause, there are many many William Parks' on Ancestry, and just as many Willie Parks'. I've checked the probate records and 1891 census records, but nothing definate comes up.

[Eddie Parks]

This is the sum total I have on him in addition to a copy of the Medal Roll for his Regt:


2322 Sergeant W P Parks
Band Sergeant - Gloucestershire Regiment
Formerly the 28th Regt of Foot

Sgt W P Parks was the Regimental Band Sergeant of the Gloucestershire Regiment, known to his friends as Willie.

In 1899 it was becoming increasingly obvious that the relationship between the British in South Africa and the Boer settlers was deteriorating. War was it seemed inevitable and the British started to mobilise a force.

The 1st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment was at that time stationed at Allahabad in India, having left England for Malta in 1892 and then moved on to Alexandria in Egypt in 1895 and finally to India in 1897.

On the 7th of September 1899 the battalion was warned for service in South Africa and on the 21st sailed from Calcutta aboard the Troopship Indian bound for Durban.

A fellow sergeant, F E Bishop, wrote an account of his war for the Gloucestershire Regimental Association Handbook in which he says: “The 28th landed at Durban on Friday 13th Oct. 1899 and proceeded by rail in open trucks to Ladysmith, arriving early on the morning of the 14th. The first news we received at Durban was that the Boers had declared war and had occupied Newcastle.”

On arrival in South Africa it was customary for units to put their drums and musical instruments into store, and presumably the 28th followed the usual practice. The bandsmen were then employed as stretcher-bearers and medical orderlies under the direction of the RMO.

Two days after reaching Ladysmith Sgt Parks was dead. According to “A Subaltern's Recollections of the Boer War” by Radice and published in the Back Badge in 1935 Willie was asleep in his tent. Meanwhile an officer's servant was cleaning his master's revolver nearby when it went off. The bullet struck Willie in the groin and he subsequently died.

Sgt Bishop wrote: "Our first piece of bad luck came on 16th Oct. when we lost Willie Parks (Band Sergt), accidentally killed."

For his four days of service in South Africa Sgt Parks was awarded the Queens South Africa medal with the clasp for service in Natal with the Natal Field Force. He did not qualify for the clasp for the Siege of Ladysmith since it did not commence until after he was dead.

He is commemorated on a plaque under the east window of Gloucester Cathedral Chapter House and on the regiment's war memorial in Bristol.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The South African War Casualty Roll. The "Natal Field Force" 20th Oct. 1899 - 26th Oct. 1900.
Name: PARKS, W
Rank: Sergeant
Soldier number: 2322
Unit: 1 Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
Notes: The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Defence of Ladysmith
Memorial: . Gloucestershire England
Casualty details: Killed on 16 Oct 1899 at Ladysmith (Official casualty roll location: Ladysmith)
Unit: 1 Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
Source: Natal Field Force. JB Hayward & Sons
COMMENT: The clasp on his QSA is Natal, he was dead before the siege started.

From Steve on BMF:
A letter written by Sgt. F.E. Bishop, 28th Regiment.
"Our first piece of bad luck came on 16th Oct. when we lost Willie Parks (Band Sergt), accidentally killed."
COMMENT: Turns out to be from the Gloucestershire Regimental Association Handbook.

[snoopysue]

Maybe one of the military buffs can find out some more with his military number!

[Eddie Parks]

Thanks for everybody'd interest.

I am pretty well certain I have all the military bases covered. It's his civilian family I need to get at!

Eddie

[Eddie Parks]

This is now a dead end - at the time of the 1891 Census his battalion was in Dublin and the 1891 Irish Census returns were pulped during WW1.