JOHN WOMERSLEY PARKER

RANK: 2nd Lieutenant.

REGIMENT: 3rd Bn. attd. 1st/5th Bn.West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)

BORN: Leeds.

ENLISTED:

GAVE HIS LIFE: 13/11/1917.

AGED: 21.

AWARD: Military Cross.

CEMETERY: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery located 12 km west of Ieper

GRAVE/: XXII. F.F. 4.

LEEDS MODERN: 1909-1910.

John was the son of Harry Womersley Born Stainburn Yorkshire and Annie Born Hull 1867.
John left Leeds Boys Modern and worked at the General Electricity Supply Company in Leeds, the family were living in Kirkstall leeds at this time.

In September 1914 John joined the Army into the Leeds Rifles 1/8th West Yorkshire Regiment, and was sent to France in April 1917.

John was promoted to the 1/5th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment in July 1917, being described by his Commanding Officer Colonel Bousfield

"As an Officer with exceptional merit".

John was awarded the Military Cross on the 9th of October 1917 at Passendale Belgium for "feats of valour" sadly this was not announced until after John had lost his life.

The London Gazette gave the following details:

"When the barrage had got far ahead of the attacking troops,owing to the bad state of the ground, he took command of men from different Battalions and organised an attack on a two pill boxes which were holding the advance"

On the 10th November 1917 John was wounded by shell fire and lost his life on the 13th of November 1917 from wounds recieved.

The CWGC shows the following details:

"Son of Harry Womersley Parker and Annie Parker, of Kirkstall, Leeds."