Parker, Derek, son of Stanley Villiers Parker of Felpham, Sussex, and Mary Hilda, d. of Jack Lewis of Breinton, Heref; b. 19 Sept. 1926; adm. Nov. 1940 (H); left Dec. 1943; family saddlery business; m. 26 Feb. 1949 Betty Margaret, d. of Guy Frederick Nicholls of Stanmore, Middlesex; killed while driving in RAC Rally of GB 8 June 1951.
Parker, David, son of John Middleton Parker, solicitor, of Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, and Dorothy Inta Caroline, d. of William George Day of Hurn, Hants; b. 1 Feb. 1917; adm. Jan. 1931 (B); left Apr. 1934; RA 1941-5 (Capt.), MC (Burma) June 1945; an agriculturalist.
Parker, David Shirley, son of John Anthony Parker, solicitor, of Bromley, Kent, and Ethelwyn, d. of Samuel Arthur Stanger of Bromley; b. 18 Dec. 1916; adm. Sept. 1930 (R); left Dec. 1933; articled to a solicitor; RAFVR 1941-3 (Flt Lieut.), 51st Bomber Sqdn; m. 20 Aug. 1941 Moira McNeill of Kildonan, I. of Arran; killed on active service 24 Sept. 1943.
David Shirley Parker was born at Bromley, Kent on the 18th of December 1916 the only son of John Anthony Parker, a solicitor, and Ethelwyn (nee Stanger) Parker of “Packwood”, 10, Homefield Road, Bromley. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1930 to December 1933. He was a member of the 4th Rowing VIII in 1933. On leaving school he became an articled clerk to a firm of solicitors. He was a member of Bromley Cricket Club and was an Assistant Scout Master with the St John’s Troop, 14th Bromley Scouts. He was also a member of the local amateur dramatic group, the Quavers, appearing in several of their productions.
He attended No. 5 Air Crew Selection Board on the 3rd of July 1940 where he was selected for pilot training. He enlisted as Aircraftman 2nd Class 1255393 in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at No. 1 Reception Centre, Uxbridge on the 6th of July 1940. Six days later he reported to Blackpool for his basic training. On the 6th of September 1940 he was posted to No. 3 Initial Training Wing at Torquay and completed his initial training on the 6th of November 1940 when he was promoted to Leading Aircraftman. He was posted to No. 3 Service Flying Training School at South Cerney where he trained on both single and twin engined aircraft. He was awarded his Wings and was promoted to Sergeant on the 14th of June 1941. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 15th of June 1941. He was then posted to No. 2 School of Air Navigation at RAF Squires Gate before being posted to No. 12 Operational Training Unit at RAF Benson on the 23rd of August 1941, but soon transferred to No. 19 Operational Training Unit at RAF Kinloss where he converted to Whitleys.
He was married on the 20th of August 1941 to Flight Officer Moira (nee McNeill) of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
He was posted to 51 Squadron on the 19th of November 1941 where he flew on his first operation against enemy shipping in the harbour at Brest on the 17th of December.
He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 15th of June 1942.
David Parker and his crew took off from RAF Chivenor 5.24am on the 20th of June 1942 in Whitley Mk V BD191 for an anti submarine sortie and was carrying a load of depth charges and bombs. At 8.05am they received a message diverting them to search for the crew of a Wellington aircraft which had come down in the sea. The aircraft was flying at 1,000 feet towards the Scilly Isles when the port engine developed a glycol leak. The aircraft descended to 500 feet where the bomb load was jettisoned and the port engine feathered. At 100 feet the aircraft stalled and hit the water with the crew managing to board the life raft before the aircraft sank four minutes later. They were rescued two hours later and were landed at St Mary’s on the Scilly Isle at 4.30pm.
On the 24th of September 1942, David Parker and his crew were having a rest day, having been stood down from operations for the day. That morning the operations room called to request a crew to take off and to search for a dinghy which had been reported as having been seen in the Bristol Channel, between Lundy Island and Cardiff. As Parker and two of his crew were nearby when the call came in to the flight office they quickly boarded Whitley Mk V Z9425 and called for two members of the ground crew to join them. They took off from RAF Chivenor and once airborne they began searching the Channel and working their way eastwards. Having been airborne for two hours the rear gunner reported that there was a glycol leak in the port engine and that white smoke was trailing past his turret. David Parker shut down the port engine to avoid it overheating. With the aircraft flying at 1,500 feet he decided to return to base and crossed the coast between Lynton and Porlock but before they had gone much further the starboard engine began to backfire and to overheat. He told the crew that he was going to make a forced landing and seeing a field ahead he warned them to brace themselves. The aircraft crash landed at North Horridge Farm near the village of Chelfham, and one mile to the east of Chelfham viaduct with the front half of the aircraft being reduced to a tangled mass of wreckage when it crashed through a hedge and into a sunken road, killing David Parker and the two ground crewmen who had been with him in the cockpit.
The rear gunner was in the bomb bay area when the aircraft crashed and was injured but was rescued and was assisted away from the aircraft by the son of the farmer who had seen the aircraft crash. Having placed the rear gunner a safe distance from the aircraft, he returned to it to find the wireless operator crawling out of it injured, but alive. The two injured men were taken to North Devon Infirmary.
The crew was: -
Flight Lieutenant David Shirley Parker (Pilot)
Corporal Robert Victor Doak (Ground Crew, 51 Squadron)
Corporal Harry Todd (Ground Crew, 51 Squadron)
Sergeant Eric Ford Goodwin (Rear Gunner) (Injured/Survived)
Sergeant Hugh Alan Roberts (Wireless Operator) (Injured/Survived) (Killed in action 13th May 1943)
He is commemorated on the Boy Scouts Roll of Honour.
He is commemorated at Plymouth City Crematorium Panel 5.
PARKER, CHARLES WILLIAM, son of Rev. William Parker DD, Rector of St. James’s, Piccadilly, Westminster, and Prebendary of St. Paul’s, and Hon. Mary Whitwell, dau. of Rev. William Whitwell, Oundle, Northants, and sister of John Whitwell, 1st Baron Braybrooke; b.; adm. 12 Jan 1784; Min. Can. 1789; KS (aged 15) 1790. [perhaps Charles William Parker, Ensign, 24th Foot 15 May 1793, Lieut. 25 Mar 1794, 2nd West India Regt. 20 Mar 1799, still in Army List 1800]
PARKER, CHARLES ROBERT; b.; adm. 2 Oct 1794 (Clapham); in school lists 1795, 1797; left Lady Day 1800; apparently the individual described as “Charles Parker the Page” in memoranda of John Smith (qv), and therefore the Charles Parker who was a Page of Honour to George III 30 Jul 1794 – vacated by 8 Mar 1800; Ensign, 2nd Foot Guards 8 Mar 1800 (in Army List as Charles Parker, no second Christian name given); Lieut. and Capt., 27 Jan 1803; retd. 24 Dec 1806. [Perhaps Charles Robert Parker, son of John Parker MP, Browsholme, Yorks., and Beatrix, dau. of Thomas Lister (adm. 1736, qv); bapt. Giggleswick, Yorks. 1 Nov 1785 (IGI)]
PARKER, HON. CECIL THOMAS, second son of Thomas Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield, and his second wife Lady Mary Frances Grosvenor, dau. of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquis of Westminster (qv); b. 27 Mar 1845; adm. 24 Jan 1856 (G); Ensign, Rifle Brigade 8 Sep 1863; Lieut., 14 Aug 1867; retd. 1870; Land Agent to Duke of Westminster 1881-1911; JP Cheshire, JP Wiltshire 1913; Busby Trustee 27 May 1902-6; m. 24 May 1870 Rosamond Esther Harriet, dau. of Charles Thomas Longley (qv); d. 12 Jan 1931.
Parker, Anthony Charles, brother of Derek Parker (qv); b. 19 June 1931; adm. Sept. 1945 (B); left July 1947; man. dir. George Parker & Sons; d. Oct. 2003.
PARKER, ---; b.; adm.; KS 1685; left 1685.
Parke, Hall, son of Ernest Parke, of Kineton, Warwick, by Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Blain, of Manchester; b. Feb. 28, 1905; adm. Jan. 18, 1917 (A); left July 1923; Ch. Ch. Oxon., matric. Michaelmas 1923; B.A. 1926; M.A. 1942; called to the bar at the Inner Temple Jan. 26, 1928; a senior legal assistant, Treasury Solicitors Office; Staff Lieut., General List April 10, 1944; Major, Claims Commission; m. July 30, 1932, Jane, daughter of James Watson Robbins, M.D., of Naugatuck, Connecticut, U.S.A.; d. 19 Feb. 1985.
PARKE (or PARKES), THOMAS; b. ; adm. ; KS 1635 (as Parke); elected to Trinity Coll. Cambridge 1637 (as Parkes), adm. pens. 24 May 1637, matr. Easter 1641. [In Record, incorrectly, as PARKER, THOMAS]