Gunner Thomas Richard John Parker Royal Artillery
The Man Thomas Richard John Parker was born on Thursday 5th August 1920 in St Thomas, Exeter, son of Thomas Richard, a Nurseryman and Ellen nee Larcombe.
Following his education Thomas enlisted into the 56th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery as a Gunner with service number 873089.
At the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939 he was embodied and his unit mobilised at Ulverston, Lancashire, guarding important points at Barrow in Furness docks. In April 1940 he saw service in Northern France as part of the British Expeditionary Force, the 56th later providing the defence on a section of the Dunkirk perimeter before being evacuated. The 56th are said to have had a wonderful record as a fighting unit.
Following evacuation Thomas had a period serving at home on Beach Defence and Anti-Invasion roles.
In 1942 - 43, Fourteenth Army adopted a new policy with the formation of composite Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank regiments, each containing two LAA and two A/T batteries. This format was intended to help divisions distribute sub-units with balanced firepower and mutual support in close jungle fighting where battle groups often had to move independently. 56th A/T Regiment was one of those selected for conversion, transferring 203 and 290 Btys to 55th (Devon) LAA Rgt (thus retaining the two original King's Own batteries), and receiving 163 and 164 LAA Btys in exchange in July and August 1943. These were equipped with the Bofors 40 mm gun. The regiment was in training with XV Corps in September 1943, before joining 5th Indian Infantry Division in Burma in October.
The 5th Indian Division was facing the Japanese 55th Division on the coastal flank of the Arakan front. The defeat of the Japanese 55th Division, to which a large share of the credit must go to the Indian 5th Division, was the first decisive victory against the Japanese since they had invaded Burma two years previously. From the victory in the Arakan sector, the 5th Indian Infantry Division was air-lifted to the central front. 161 Brigade joined XXXIII Corps, which was beginning to arrive at Dimapur, and fought in the Battle of Kohima while the remainder of the division reinforced IV Corps, whose land victory at Kohima and Imphal, in which the Division played an important part, proved to be the turning-point of the Burma Campaign. Except for one period of rest and reorganization, the Indian 5th Division continued to fight and to advance throughout the rest of the war and took part in the final thrust by IV Corps down to Rangoon.
In June to August 1945, the 66th A/T Rgt was gradually placed into a state of "suspended animation" and its personnel were posted to the 56th, which had just come out of the line in Burma and reforming as a Self-Propelled unit in India - approximately 80% of the original 56th's personnel were sent back to England for repatriation and replaced by personnel from the 66th. The 56th was itself also placed into a state of "suspended animation" while its remaining personnel and equipment were returned to England.
Following his return to the UK Thomas was released to the Z Class Reserve on 28th July 1946. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 201 of December 1945 the Efficiency Medal 'Territorial'.
During the last quarter of 1947 aged 27 he married Ruby Gwendoline Morrish nee Abrahams (her second marriage), in Devon. They had one son David Richard John born in 1949, who sadly died at childbirth.
Thomas died in the second quarter of 1977 in Exeter aged just 57 and Ruby aged 72 in April 1990 also in Exeter.
Following his education Thomas enlisted into the 56th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery as a Gunner with service number 873089.
At the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939 he was embodied and his unit mobilised at Ulverston, Lancashire, guarding important points at Barrow in Furness docks. In April 1940 he saw service in Northern France as part of the British Expeditionary Force, the 56th later providing the defence on a section of the Dunkirk perimeter before being evacuated. The 56th are said to have had a wonderful record as a fighting unit.
Following evacuation Thomas had a period serving at home on Beach Defence and Anti-Invasion roles.
In 1942 - 43, Fourteenth Army adopted a new policy with the formation of composite Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank regiments, each containing two LAA and two A/T batteries. This format was intended to help divisions distribute sub-units with balanced firepower and mutual support in close jungle fighting where battle groups often had to move independently. 56th A/T Regiment was one of those selected for conversion, transferring 203 and 290 Btys to 55th (Devon) LAA Rgt (thus retaining the two original King's Own batteries), and receiving 163 and 164 LAA Btys in exchange in July and August 1943. These were equipped with the Bofors 40 mm gun. The regiment was in training with XV Corps in September 1943, before joining 5th Indian Infantry Division in Burma in October.
The 5th Indian Division was facing the Japanese 55th Division on the coastal flank of the Arakan front. The defeat of the Japanese 55th Division, to which a large share of the credit must go to the Indian 5th Division, was the first decisive victory against the Japanese since they had invaded Burma two years previously. From the victory in the Arakan sector, the 5th Indian Infantry Division was air-lifted to the central front. 161 Brigade joined XXXIII Corps, which was beginning to arrive at Dimapur, and fought in the Battle of Kohima while the remainder of the division reinforced IV Corps, whose land victory at Kohima and Imphal, in which the Division played an important part, proved to be the turning-point of the Burma Campaign. Except for one period of rest and reorganization, the Indian 5th Division continued to fight and to advance throughout the rest of the war and took part in the final thrust by IV Corps down to Rangoon.
In June to August 1945, the 66th A/T Rgt was gradually placed into a state of "suspended animation" and its personnel were posted to the 56th, which had just come out of the line in Burma and reforming as a Self-Propelled unit in India - approximately 80% of the original 56th's personnel were sent back to England for repatriation and replaced by personnel from the 66th. The 56th was itself also placed into a state of "suspended animation" while its remaining personnel and equipment were returned to England.
Following his return to the UK Thomas was released to the Z Class Reserve on 28th July 1946. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and in Army Order 201 of December 1945 the Efficiency Medal 'Territorial'.
During the last quarter of 1947 aged 27 he married Ruby Gwendoline Morrish nee Abrahams (her second marriage), in Devon. They had one son David Richard John born in 1949, who sadly died at childbirth.
Thomas died in the second quarter of 1977 in Exeter aged just 57 and Ruby aged 72 in April 1990 also in Exeter.
The Story The medal group awarded to Thomas Richard John Parker was acquired from E-Bay on 14th May 2023, following an offer made - on impulse!
As Thomas had three first names, this made research on Ancestry.UK relatively straightforward, although the real surprise was locating his Royal Artillery Tracer Card. This showed him as serving 56th Anti-Tank Regiment RA, thus seeing service as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 and being evacuated from Dunkirk or remaining to defend and being evacuated later. It also confirmed he saw service in Burma later in the war, thus his medal combination is correct.
Whilst not a particularly detailed biography, or unusual medal combination, this is one of those groups that thanks to research, has revealed a little of the undoubted hardships in conflict endured by Thomas, who if not for the impulsive offer made on E-Bay would have possibly remained an unknown individual.
As Thomas had three first names, this made research on Ancestry.UK relatively straightforward, although the real surprise was locating his Royal Artillery Tracer Card. This showed him as serving 56th Anti-Tank Regiment RA, thus seeing service as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 and being evacuated from Dunkirk or remaining to defend and being evacuated later. It also confirmed he saw service in Burma later in the war, thus his medal combination is correct.
Whilst not a particularly detailed biography, or unusual medal combination, this is one of those groups that thanks to research, has revealed a little of the undoubted hardships in conflict endured by Thomas, who if not for the impulsive offer made on E-Bay would have possibly remained an unknown individual.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Burma Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: 873089 GNR.T.R.J.PARKER. R.A.
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This page last updated 22 May 23
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