Sgt 17158 Robert Evan Parry

• Age: 24
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Robert Evan Parry was born probably 18th January 1893 in Bootle, Liverpool and was the son of John Parry and his wife Ann (nee Foulkes) who married in 1893 at West Derby Register Office. His father was born in Llanllyfni, Caernarvonshire, his mother was born in Ruthin, Denbigh.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 7, Park Grove, Bootle cum Linacre. His father, John, is aged 47, born in Caernarvonshire, Wales in 1854 and is employed as a dock labourer, his mother, Ann, is aged 37, born 1864 in Ruthin, Wales and has no occupation listed. They have three children declared in the houselhold; Robert aged 8, born 1893, Maggie aged 4, born 1897 and Lizzie aged 2, born 1899. They also have three boarders living with them, John Williams, aged 55, born 1846, Owen Parry aged 43, born 1858 and Richard Williams aged 23, born 1878, all working as dock labourers and from Bethesda, Wales.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 28 Langdale Street, Bootle - His father, John, is now shown as aged 50, and is employed as a dock labourer, His mother Ann is now shown as aged 45. They advise that they have been married for 19 years and have had five children, four of whom have survived. They have all four surviving children in the household; Robert, Maggie, Elizabeth and Annie. The family were still living at this address after war.

Prior to the war, Robert was a shipping clerk with the White Star Line.  

Robert enlisted on the 03rd September 1914 at St George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 18th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 17158. He gave his age as 21 years and 234 days old and gave his occupation as a clerk. His service papers record he was described as being 5 foot 7 and half inches tall, weighed 131lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. He stated his religion as Welsh protestant and his next of kin as his father John, of 28 Langdale Street, Bootle.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

His service records have survived and show:

01.11.15 - promoted to Corporal

16-19.2.16 - to 3rd Army Anti-Gas School

01.5.16 - to F.A. with piles

05.5.16 - admitted to 9 G.Hospital in Rouen

30.5.16 - to Con.Camp

09.6.16 - appointed paid L/Sgt

11.6.16 - rejoined at Etaples

13.6.16 - admitted to 20 Gen. Hospital with scabies at Dannes, Camiers

20.6.16 - rejoined at Etaples

09.7.16 - joined Batn. Base Depot

02.9.16 - granted Class 1 proficiency pay

22.12.16 - on leave to UK

04.1.17 - resumed duty

13.1.17 - promoted to Sergeant

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Sergeant No 17158 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 24 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendale).

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.  

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th August 1917:

PARRY - July 31, killed in action, aged 24 years, Sergt. R. E. PARRY (K.L.R.), only and dearly-beloved son of Mr and Mrs J, A. Parry, 28 Langdale Street, Bootle (Sadly mourned by father, mother, and sisters).

A more detailed report of his death appeared in the Bootle Times 17th August 1917:

"Your dear son Bob, who was a sergeant in my Company, fell in action on the 31st July." Such was the gist of a communication received the other day by Mr. and Mrs.John Parry, of 28, Langdale-street, Bootle, from the Company Sergeant Major of a K.L.R. Company, now on service in France. By this sad blow they have lost their only son. Many friends will sympathise with the family in their great bereavement. Robert E. Parry was a Bootle boy, educated at Bedford-road Council School. Afterwards he joined the White Star Line office staff, and was held in high esteem by his colleagues. At home he was associated with the Welsh Free Church and Sunday School, Merton-road, where he had numerous good friends. At the outbreak of war the young man at once joined the Forces. His steadiness, promptitude, and capacity gained him rapid promotion. He had been in France nearly two years, had a full share in all the fighting, and while there attained the rank of Sergt. Last Christmas he had ten days' leave, and at that time came home very bright and cheery. The C.S.M., who wrote under great stress of feeling, on August 6th, said, "To me your son Bob was a soldier pal. We had been together during the whole of our Army life. He was killed by a machine gun bullet as we were attacking. Believe me, he would not feel any pain, but after he was hit he did not live a minute. I could not stay with him at the time, having to go further forward with the attack. Later on it was impossible to get near him for snipers, who were doing deadly work. His captain was rather badly wounded at the same time. The writer expresses the heartfelt sympathy of the N.C.O.'s, and says the young soldier's death has robbed them all of a true and noble friend, and speaks of him as "one of the best soldiers I ever knew." This fine reputation of their lost one should in some degree assuage the pain his death has caused. 

Soldiers Effects to father John, Pension to mother Ann.

He was remembered on his birthday in the Liverpool Echo on 18th January 1918 -:

ROLL OF HONOUR

PARRY - In loving birthday remembrance of Sergt. R. E. PARRY (BOBS), reported killed in action, July 31, 1917. - Lil.

Robert is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Bedford Road School,

Linacre Methodist Mission,

Bootle Civic Memorial

His father died after the 1921 Census, aged 60, in the December quarter of 1921. 

His mother died, aged 70, in the March quarter of 1937.

We currently have no further information on Robert Evan Parry, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.