Parkes, Horace Frederick
Horace F. Parkes (Faculty of Laws) fell at Neuve Chapelle under circumstances of great gallantry. Parkes enlisted as a Private in the Artists' Rifles at the beginning of the war, but was soon gazetted as 2nd Lieut. in the 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In his kitbag was a soiled copy of the Christmas card which we sent out to all King's men on active service. His commanding officer wrote thus of him in a letter to his people: "As his company commander I fully realised his value ...... on the day he was killed he performed an act of gallantry which may well have saved the day for our forces. Several men of two battalions were retiring, they had no officers left, and the German counter attack would have succeeded had not your son rallied our troops, returned to the attack, and successfully beaten back the attack. He died peacefully, death being instantaneous. His name is worthy to be written large in the history of Neuve Chapelle." King's College Review June 1915
Biographical
| Surname(s) | Parkes |
|---|---|
| First name(s) | Horace Frederick |
| Family details | Son of Harry C. and K. Parkes, of "Heatherbrae", The Avenue, Moordown, Bournemouth |
| College | King's College London and/or King's College London Hospital |
| Dept / course | Faculty of Laws |
| Military unit | Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1st Battn. |
| Date enlisted | Outbreak of war |
| War / conflict | World War One (1914-1918) |
| Decorations / medals | Mentioned in despatches |
| Date of death | 12 March 1915 |
| Age at death | 25 |
| Rank at death | Second Lieutenant |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Commemoration(s) | King's College Chapel; Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France |
| Sources | King's College London Archives; Commonwealth War Graves Commission |