Capt
Ernest Charles Parry
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 07/02/1886 |
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Place of birth: Paeroa, Waikato, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Professional Soldier |
Army information
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Country: New Zealand |
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Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Captain |
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Service number: 12/2904 |
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Enlistment date: 13/05/1912 |
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Enlistment place: Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand |
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Units: — Auckland Infantry Regiment, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Winzig, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 31 |
Cemetery
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Dochy Farm New British Cemetery Plot: I Row: E Grave: 20 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Captain Ernest Charles Parry was born on the 7th of February 1886 in Paeroa, New Zealand. He worked as a painter and paperhanger and was married to Mary Okaro Parry (nee Walmsley) on the 18th December of 1912, Paeroa. Together they had two children, William Henry Parry (born 12/10/1913, Paeroa) and Joseph Stewart Parry (born 13/01/1915, Paeroa).
He embarked on the 9th of October 1915 from Wellington, already as a lieutenant. Indeed, he had served in the army before the First World War. He served 7,5 years with the Ohinemuri Rifle Volunteers and 1,5 years with the Waihi Rifles, which explains why he was already a lieutenant when he embarked. He served with the 16th Company (Waikato Company) of the 1st Auckland Battalion (1st New Zealand Division, 1st New Zealand Brigade).
Official documents state that he perished on the 6th of October 1917, though recent research conducted by Freddy Declerck concludes that the 4th of October 1917 is more likely to be the date of his death. On the 4th of October the 1st New Zealand Brigade would take part in the Battle of Broodseinde and together with the 4th New Zealand Brigade their objective was the Gravenstafel-Abraham Heights section of the Broodseinde Ridge. On the night of the 3rd and 4th of October, the 1st Auckland Battalion occupied the ground around Cluster-Houses, suffering many casualties throughout the night from machinegun fire from Winzig and Aviatik Farm. They had first to cross the stream of Hannebeek, which, due to heavy shelling, had turned to a wide bog which made traversing it very slow and difficult. The 15th and 16th companies of the 1st Auckland Battalion had a bitter fight for Winzig, suffering heavy casualties due to the harsh resistance by the German garrison. Many lost their lives to machinegun fire trying to reach Winzig, including captain Ernest Charles Parry. Eventually the Aucklanders managed to take Winzig and even further down the line managed to capture and consolidate their other objectives. Captain Parry would be reported missing on the 9th and was reported to be killed in action on the 10th. Thanks to Freddy Declerck he has now been identified as the unknown NZEF Captain at the Dochy Farm New British Cemetery Plot I. Row E. Grave 20.
He embarked on the 9th of October 1915 from Wellington, already as a lieutenant. Indeed, he had served in the army before the First World War. He served 7,5 years with the Ohinemuri Rifle Volunteers and 1,5 years with the Waihi Rifles, which explains why he was already a lieutenant when he embarked. He served with the 16th Company (Waikato Company) of the 1st Auckland Battalion (1st New Zealand Division, 1st New Zealand Brigade).
Official documents state that he perished on the 6th of October 1917, though recent research conducted by Freddy Declerck concludes that the 4th of October 1917 is more likely to be the date of his death. On the 4th of October the 1st New Zealand Brigade would take part in the Battle of Broodseinde and together with the 4th New Zealand Brigade their objective was the Gravenstafel-Abraham Heights section of the Broodseinde Ridge. On the night of the 3rd and 4th of October, the 1st Auckland Battalion occupied the ground around Cluster-Houses, suffering many casualties throughout the night from machinegun fire from Winzig and Aviatik Farm. They had first to cross the stream of Hannebeek, which, due to heavy shelling, had turned to a wide bog which made traversing it very slow and difficult. The 15th and 16th companies of the 1st Auckland Battalion had a bitter fight for Winzig, suffering heavy casualties due to the harsh resistance by the German garrison. Many lost their lives to machinegun fire trying to reach Winzig, including captain Ernest Charles Parry. Eventually the Aucklanders managed to take Winzig and even further down the line managed to capture and consolidate their other objectives. Captain Parry would be reported missing on the 9th and was reported to be killed in action on the 10th. Thanks to Freddy Declerck he has now been identified as the unknown NZEF Captain at the Dochy Farm New British Cemetery Plot I. Row E. Grave 20.
Sources 7
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/ Sources used |
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Archives New Zealand https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena#/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/848046/ernest-charles-parry/ Sources used |
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New Zealand’s Great War 1914-1918 https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=199026&printFormat=print Sources used |
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Online Cenotaph https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph Sources used |
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Ormond E. Burton, The Auckland Regiment. Being an account of the doings on active service of the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Auckland Regiment (Auckland, N.Z.: Press of Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd., 1922), 170-4. Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |