2nd Lieut Robert Stephenson Parry

• Age: 24
• From: Ormskirk, Lancs
• Regiment: Lancs Fusilliers 20th
• Died on Tuesday 23rd October 1917
• Commemorated at: Artillery Wood Cemetery
  Panel Ref: I.D.17

Robert Stephenson (Bob) Parry was born in Ormskirk in the fourth quarter of 1892, son of Evan Thomas Parry and his wife Eliza Rebecca (née Stephenson).  Evan from Bangor, Wales, and Eliza from Lincolnshire, married in 1884 in St. Luke’s Southport, and had nine children, one of whom died young, all born in Southport.  Robert was one of five sons and two daughters.  He had older siblings Evan, Lilian, Agnes, and Albert, and younger siblings John (Jack), Sidney, Fred (died in infancy), and Emily.  Robert was baptised in St. Luke’s, Southport on 01st January 1893, his parents’ residence 38 St. Luke’s Road, Southport, and his father’s occupation painter. 

In 1901 the family is living at 63 St. Luke’s Road, with eight children. His father is a house painter, the eldest  Evan, 15, is a plumber’s apprentice, Robert is 8. 

His father appears in Kelly’s directory for 1905 as a painter, at 63 St. Luke’s Road. 

By 1911 the family, still with all eight children, is at 9 Talbot Street, Southport, where his mother Eliza, 47, is a boarding house keeper.  There are 15 people in 15 rooms.  His father Evan, 52, is a house painter, Lilian, 23, and Agnes, 21, assist in the household, Albert, 19, is a joiner’s apprentice, Robert, 18, and John, 16, are accounts clerks.  Sidney, 13, and Emily, 10, are at school. Also in the household are widowed grandmother  Mary Ann Stephenson, 77, and four boarders. 

His father died in 1913, aged 57. 

Before the war, Robert and brother Jack worked as clerks for the chartered accountants Davies and Crane. He was well known in local football and cricket circles. All five sons served during the war.  

Although his service record has not survived, some details are known. Robert enlisted in Liverpool around November 1914 as Private 22803,joining the 20th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. 

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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. 

Robert shipped to France with his battalion on 07th November 1915. 

He was wounded in the leg in July 1916 at the Somme. He reached the rank of Lance Sergeant before being discharged to commission. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant with the Lancashire Fusiliers in May 1917 and returned to the front in June. 

In October 1917 the 20th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was in the Ypres Salient, in trenches east of Langemarck.  The War Diary for 22nd October 1917 records: 

“The attack was launched at 5:35 a.m. by the three other battalions of the Brigade. At this time the Battn was in Brigade Reserve. At 8:38 a.m. orders were received ... to send two Coys ... with a view to reinforcing the 23rd Manchesters ... The two Coys then took up a position organized in depth ... This movement was carried out under heavy hostile fire.  Officers patrols were sent out to gain touch with the enemy. The enemy were holding the HUTS and were seen in small parties ... They fired on our patrols. ... At 9 a.m. X Coy had been ordered to occupy the position vacated by W Coy ... At 10:30 a.m. the Brigade ordered the remainder of the battn to occupy the line ADEN HOUSE - LES 5 CHEMINS with a view to forming a defensive flank on the right. ... X and Y Coys were ordered to move to a position immediately behind EGYPT HOUSE. ... At 6 p.m. orders were received to raid the HUTS and if possible to occupy them or to deny their occupation to the enemy. ... 2nd Lt. H.A. Harris and 20 O.R. were detailed to carry out the raid and one platoon of X Coy under 2nd Lt. R.S. Parry were held in close support in case it should prove possible to occupy the HUTS. ... When the raiders advanced the enemy sent up the S.O.S. signal and opened up a heavy fire with artillery and with machine guns from both flanks and from the HUTS.  Considerable casualties (including 2nd Lts. Harris and Parry) were incurred and it was found impossible to occupy the HUTS. Valuable information had, however, been gained.” 

Casualties:

Officers: Wounded 5, Died of Wounds 2nd Lt. R. S. Parry 

O.R.:  Killed 27, Wounded 168, Missing 12 

Robert now rests at Artillery Wood Cemetery in Belgium where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, HIS LIFE".  

Until July 1917, the village of Boesinghe (now Boezinge) directly faced the German front line over the Yser canal, but at the end of that month, the Battle of Pilckem Ridge pushed the German line back and Artillery Wood, just east of the canal, was captured by the Guards Division. They began the cemetery just north of the wood when the fighting was over and it continued as a front line cemetery until March 1918. At the time of the Armistice, the cemetery contained 141 graves (of which 42 belonged to the Royal Artillery), but it was then greatly enlarged when graves were brought in from the battlefields and small burial grounds around Boesinghe. There are now 1,307 First World War casualties buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 506 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 12 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

In the Liverpool Daily Post on 02nd November 1917:

“Official news has been received of the death in action of Lieut. Robert Parry, son of the late Mr. Thomas Parry, for many years apparitor at Holy Trinity Church, Southport, and of Mrs. Parry, 9, Talbot Street, Southport.” 

An extract from a letter sent to his mother from a fellow officer was published in the Southport Visitor on 10th November 1917 alongside some further details:  

Before the war Lieutenant Parry was employed as a clerk in the service of Messrs Davies and Crane, chartered accountants, along with a brother, Lieut Jack Parry, King's Liverpools. He was well known in local football and cricket circles. The deceased officer enlisted in the Liverpool Pals as a private, and was wounded in the leg in 1916, whilst serving with his regiment. He returned to England for a Cadet course, and was given a commission in the Lancashire Fusiliers in May 1917, returning to France in June. He was seriously wounded in the fighting on the 22nd October, and died on the 23rd. A letter from a fellow officer to Mrs Parry stated: 

“Dear Mrs. Parry, 

It is with deepest regret that I have to tell you that your son Robert has been killed while carrying out a daring raid on one of the enemy’s strong points in continuation of an advance done earlier in the morning. Such a good hearted and cheery fellow.  We in the mess can hardly credit his death and every day little episodes crop up and bring back remembrances of one of the best officers we had.  The loss to us, how much more to you his mother, we can all appreciate it. It may perhaps alleviate your grief to know he died like a man, having carried out some of the best work possible. Although the loss at present is exceedingly severe, you have everything to be proud of in having such a fine son whose devotion to duty has cost him his life.  Please accept my sincere sympathy which is prevalent throughout the battalion. 

Yours faithfully, 

A. M. Kennedy, Lieut.”  

Robert earned his three medals. His 1914-15 Star was returned and reissued. 

His mother, living at “Rosebank”, 9 Talbot Street, Southport, received Robert’s effects.  Probate, address 9 Talbot Street, occupation accounts clerk, 2nd Lt. Lancashire Fusiliers, was granted to his mother Eliza, effects £86.  She died in 1927 aged 64. 

Each of his brothers survived the war: 

Evan served in the R.N.V.R. from 1908, in the Royal Naval Division from 1915, serving in Salonika, and in the R.A.F. 1918-1920. 

Albert served in Mesopotamia with the Royal Engineers. 

Jack enlisted in the K.L.R, was commissioned, and later served in East Africa with the King’s Africa Rifles. 

His youngest brother Sidney served in the Merchant Marine during the war. He settled in Pennsylvania and registered for the draft in WW2. 

Robert is commemorated on the following memorials:

The Monument, Southport

Holy Trinity Church, Southport 

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