Sergeant Edward Albert Parker East Surrey Regiment and Home Guard
The Man Edward Albert Parker (Teddie) was born on Monday 29th May 1893 in Croydon, Surrey, son of Edward Albert senior a Labourer and Elizabeth Ada nee Ballard. He was Baptised on 1st July 1894 in the Roman Catholic Church of St Peter and Paul in Mitcham.
Teddie was one of eight children, Ada Elizabeth (1886- 1978), Rose May Emma (1891-1971), Frederick Alfred (1896-1916), who was killed in action on 7th September 1916 serving in the 1st Royal Marines Battalion Royal Naval Division and commemorated at Tranchee De Mecknes Military Cemetery, Aix-Noulette, France. Florence Lilian Victoria (1901–1902), Violet Maud (1903–1989), Lily Margaret (1905–1984) and another unknown sibling who died very young.
The 1901 census shows the family living at 39 Fountain Road, Mitcham and in 1911 Teddie, now aged 17 and working as a Golf Caddie, was living with his father and Frederick at 6 Prussia Place, whilst his mother, sisters Ada, Violet and Lily were living at number 8 with Ada junior’s husband Richard Wheeler.
In January 1911 aged 17, Teddie enlisted into the Regular Army, 3rd Battalion the East Surrey Regiment qualifying once aged 18 on 23rd August 1911, as a Private and with service number L-10257.
Teddie was one of eight children, Ada Elizabeth (1886- 1978), Rose May Emma (1891-1971), Frederick Alfred (1896-1916), who was killed in action on 7th September 1916 serving in the 1st Royal Marines Battalion Royal Naval Division and commemorated at Tranchee De Mecknes Military Cemetery, Aix-Noulette, France. Florence Lilian Victoria (1901–1902), Violet Maud (1903–1989), Lily Margaret (1905–1984) and another unknown sibling who died very young.
The 1901 census shows the family living at 39 Fountain Road, Mitcham and in 1911 Teddie, now aged 17 and working as a Golf Caddie, was living with his father and Frederick at 6 Prussia Place, whilst his mother, sisters Ada, Violet and Lily were living at number 8 with Ada junior’s husband Richard Wheeler.
In January 1911 aged 17, Teddie enlisted into the Regular Army, 3rd Battalion the East Surrey Regiment qualifying once aged 18 on 23rd August 1911, as a Private and with service number L-10257.
He remained in the Army for the next three years, transferring to the 2nd Battalion who saw service in India and he was a member of the winning inter platoon football team in 1914. At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, the 2nd Bn returned to the UK and entered France for service on the Western Front on 19th January 1915, as part of the 85th Brigade 28th Division where they saw action south of Loos, losing many men to gas poisoning. Teddie later served 8th and 12th Battalions and likely saw action at the Battle of the Somme, Messines and Passchendaele and was awarded the 1914-15 Star.
He served throughout the war and was the victim of poison gas on three separate occasions, something that would affect his health for the rest of his life. He was discharged under KR 392 (xvia) (Surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service)) on 29th May 1919 and subsequently awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge No B27830.
During the last quarter of 1919 Teddie married Daisy May Bygrave in Croydon and they had two children, Frederick Edward (Freddy) born in 1920 who sadly died in 1923 aged 2½ and Doris Violet 1923. Teddie’s Mother Ada died in 1925 aged 55 and is father in 1926 aged 56.
After the war, Teddie worked for James Pain and Sons Ltd, a Firework manufacturer in Mitcham. The 1939 Register shows him, aged 46, living at 72 Lilian Road, Streatham Vale, with Daisy and her sister, Violet Agnes Bygrave. He was described as ‘Disabled ex-serviceman. Firework Maker’.
Following the start of World War II, on September 3rd 1939, despite his poor health, Teddie joined the Home Guard Unit at his employer, James Pain Ltd on 30th July 1940 and served throughout the war until 26th July 1944 for which he was awarded the Defence Medal.
Teddie’s health deteriorated during the last 10 years of his life, to the point where he was unable to work, suffering from chronic bronchitis and other conditions as a result of the gassing. He passed away from heart failure after a bronchitis attack on 19th March 1952 aged just 59 and buried in Plot 10, London Road Cemetery, Mitcham.
Daisy remarried in 1969, to John Chitty and lived another 37 years, passing away in September 1989 in Surrey aged 92 and was interred in the same grave as Teddie in London Road and a memorial added to Freddie.
He served throughout the war and was the victim of poison gas on three separate occasions, something that would affect his health for the rest of his life. He was discharged under KR 392 (xvia) (Surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service)) on 29th May 1919 and subsequently awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge No B27830.
During the last quarter of 1919 Teddie married Daisy May Bygrave in Croydon and they had two children, Frederick Edward (Freddy) born in 1920 who sadly died in 1923 aged 2½ and Doris Violet 1923. Teddie’s Mother Ada died in 1925 aged 55 and is father in 1926 aged 56.
After the war, Teddie worked for James Pain and Sons Ltd, a Firework manufacturer in Mitcham. The 1939 Register shows him, aged 46, living at 72 Lilian Road, Streatham Vale, with Daisy and her sister, Violet Agnes Bygrave. He was described as ‘Disabled ex-serviceman. Firework Maker’.
Following the start of World War II, on September 3rd 1939, despite his poor health, Teddie joined the Home Guard Unit at his employer, James Pain Ltd on 30th July 1940 and served throughout the war until 26th July 1944 for which he was awarded the Defence Medal.
Teddie’s health deteriorated during the last 10 years of his life, to the point where he was unable to work, suffering from chronic bronchitis and other conditions as a result of the gassing. He passed away from heart failure after a bronchitis attack on 19th March 1952 aged just 59 and buried in Plot 10, London Road Cemetery, Mitcham.
Daisy remarried in 1969, to John Chitty and lived another 37 years, passing away in September 1989 in Surrey aged 92 and was interred in the same grave as Teddie in London Road and a memorial added to Freddie.
The Story The medals awarded to Edward Albert Parker were acquired from E-Bay on 20th August 2023 and of interest because of the named Home Guard Certificate of service and good quality photograph of the recipient.
Despite the seeming common name, Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records provided a lot of detail, revealing various World War I pension and medal index cards and rolls. Cross-referencing the name of James Pain & Son Ltd, from the Home Guard photograph on google, revealed this to be a firework manufacturer in Mitcham, where Edward lived. This matched his details on the 1939 Register where he was shown as a disabled ex serviceman working at a firework Factory. His date of birth and those of his wife were therefore available enabling a more thorough search of Ancestry.
Amongst the information on Ancestry was a pleasing picture of his grave, where he was buried with his wife and the British Newspaper Archive showed his death notice, confirming the fact he been gassed three times in WWI, hence the award of a silver War Badge.
What began as a bit of an impulse acquisition, ended with a sad story of a man who served throughout all of World War I, in some of the bloodiest battles known to man surviving and serving again in World War II, but paying the price ultimately and succumbing to his wounds gained over 30 years previously and dying very young.
Slough Cemeteries were most helpful sending a precise location of Teddie’s grave, Plot 10 No 10461 and on Saturday 17th November 2023, it was visited at London Road Cemetery, Mitcham and he briefly reunited with his medals and a poppy cross laid. Of interest was the fact that only recently, 10th July 2023, Teddie’s daughter Doris Violet had passed away aged 100 and her ashes were interred with her parents. This is most likely the reason Teddie’s medals became available following her death, just a month before their acquisition.
Another interesting fact discovered in the cemetery were a number of Home Guard Commonwealth War Graves, all belonging to Volunteers who were amongst 15 members of "B" Company, 57th Surrey Home Guard (Mitcham) killed when a German parachute mine hit the old creamery building near Mitcham Common on 16th April 1941.
Despite the seeming common name, Ancestry.UK and Forces War Records provided a lot of detail, revealing various World War I pension and medal index cards and rolls. Cross-referencing the name of James Pain & Son Ltd, from the Home Guard photograph on google, revealed this to be a firework manufacturer in Mitcham, where Edward lived. This matched his details on the 1939 Register where he was shown as a disabled ex serviceman working at a firework Factory. His date of birth and those of his wife were therefore available enabling a more thorough search of Ancestry.
Amongst the information on Ancestry was a pleasing picture of his grave, where he was buried with his wife and the British Newspaper Archive showed his death notice, confirming the fact he been gassed three times in WWI, hence the award of a silver War Badge.
What began as a bit of an impulse acquisition, ended with a sad story of a man who served throughout all of World War I, in some of the bloodiest battles known to man surviving and serving again in World War II, but paying the price ultimately and succumbing to his wounds gained over 30 years previously and dying very young.
Slough Cemeteries were most helpful sending a precise location of Teddie’s grave, Plot 10 No 10461 and on Saturday 17th November 2023, it was visited at London Road Cemetery, Mitcham and he briefly reunited with his medals and a poppy cross laid. Of interest was the fact that only recently, 10th July 2023, Teddie’s daughter Doris Violet had passed away aged 100 and her ashes were interred with her parents. This is most likely the reason Teddie’s medals became available following her death, just a month before their acquisition.
Another interesting fact discovered in the cemetery were a number of Home Guard Commonwealth War Graves, all belonging to Volunteers who were amongst 15 members of "B" Company, 57th Surrey Home Guard (Mitcham) killed when a German parachute mine hit the old creamery building near Mitcham Common on 16th April 1941.
Teddie, Daisy and Doris's grave Plot 10 London Road Cemetery, Mitcham. 17th November 2023
Medal Details:
- 1914-15 Star: L.10257 PTE.E.A.PARKER. E.SURR.R.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: L-10257 SJT. E.A.PARKER. E.SURR.R.
- Victory Medal: L-10257 SJT. E.A.PARKER. E.SURR.R.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
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This page last updated 24 Nov 23
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