The Conisbrough and Denaby 100 Project
Edward Parr
Edward Henry Parr was the fifth child and eldest son of Henry and Emma Parr, and was born in Denaby Main. Henry came from Nottingham, whilst Emma came from Staffordshire. The couple married around 1879, and first daughter Mary was born in 1880 followed at a rate of almost one child per year by Emily, Elizabeth, Tamar, Edward, Walter, Florence, Charlotte and Ettie who was born in 1891. The 1911 census shows that in total the family had 10 children, however two sadly died.
In 1901, at the age of 16 Edward is working in the colliery, as is father Henry, and younger brother Walter, who is a ‘Trapper’. The family at home at this time consists of Henry, Emma, Edward, Walter, Florence, Ettie, Tamar and Charlotte and the family are living at 19 Adwick Street, Denaby Main, which has since been destroyed. Edward remained at home through the next decade, as did younger brother Walter, and sister Tamar. In 1911, both young men (now 26 and 24 respectively) are still working in the mine, as is Henry who is not 56 and like Edward, works as a Hewer, whilst Walter was a Filler. The family live at 6 Annerley Street, and have taken in a boarder by the name of Earnest Lunn, who is also a Filler.
The family were still living at 6 Annerley Street on 8th February 1915 when Edward attested to join the army at the age of 30 years old. He gave his profession as ‘miner’ and appears to have at first attested into the York and Lancaster Regiment with regimental number 18735. However, he was clearly transferred to the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) and given new regimental number 15849. He measured 5’ 53/4 inches tall, and had ‘small blue scars on each shoulder blade’.
Edward's Attestation form (click for larger image)
Local newspaper reports show that Edward was wounded in the Dardanelles in early 1916, and his records show that he returned to France in June 1917, arriving in Boulogne on 10th June, and moving to the field on the 19th. He was killed just a few weeks later on 11th August 1917.
Edward’s medals were claimed by his mother Emma between 1920 and 1921. Oddly, Edward had two medal index cards; one for his 1915 Star medal and one for his British and Victory medals. The former listed him as ‘WH Parr’, an error which Emma corrected on the paperwork to acknowledge receipt of the 1915 Star Medal. Emma also took receipt of Edward’s personal effects, which were sent to her on the 7th December 1917 and the paperwork lists these effects as being “new testament, letters, photos”.
Click for larger images and descriptions
During his service Edward received three separate punishments, which in total saw him spend 19 days ‘CB’ (confined to barracks), however sadly the ink has faded too much to read the transgressions.
At the beginning of August 1917 the battalion were resting at Poperinghe, to the west of Ypres. Whilst there they had lectures, baths and drills along with customary parades. On the 6th they moved from Poperinghe to the canal bank, and from there on the 7th into the front line, relieving the 4th Gordon Highlanders. They held the line through to the 12th, when they returned to the canal bank, and then back to ‘Dirty Bucket camp’. There is a place called ‘Dirty Bucket Corner’ to this day and it is likely that this camp was in the same area.
It appears that whilst in the front line, the battalion had a relatively tough time. Notes in the war diaries show that during the period 6th to 12th August, 22 were killed, 83 wounded and a further 11 went missing. Edward was one of those 22, however the entry for the 11th states only,
"Battalion relieved by 6th Yorks."
However, the entry for the 10th tells of an attack (carried out by on strong points just east of Steenbeck (Langemarck). It states,
“...positions held to 4pm but forced to withdraw owing to heavy MG fire and large superior force of enemy and strength of their positions.”
It’s possible that Edward was part of this attack, and was wounded and died the following day. The newspaper report from the time states that he was killed by a shell, however either his body was never found, or he was buried by his comrades but his grave was lost in subsequent fighting, because he is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.
We laid Edward's tribute at the Menin Gate in Ypres in August 2014, and pay our respects to him regularly when we visit.
