Walter Richard Parker

He carried wounded comrades to safety under heavy rifle fire

Walter Richard Parker was born at Grantham in 1881 and worked as an ironworks coremaker. He married Olive Orchard and raised a family before joining the Royal Marines. He served with the Royal Naval Division at Gallipoli.

On the night of 30 April-1 May 1915, Parker volunteered to take supplies and medical stores to an isolated trench. Crossing exposed ground under machine-gun and rifle fire, he reached the position after the rest of his party became casualties. He treated wounded men and helped remove them when the trench was evacuated, despite being seriously wounded himself. He later received the Victoria Cross.

His wounds ended his military service and affected his health for the rest of his life. At Stapleford he served on a pensions tribunal and led the local British Legion branch. He died on 28 November 1936 and was buried in Stapleford Cemetery.

Official Victoria Cross citation

In recognition of his most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in the course of the Dardanelles operations. On the night of 30th April/1st May, 1915, a message asking for ammunition, water and medical stores was received from an isolated fire trench at Gaba Tepe. A party of Non-commissioned Officers and men were detailed to carry water and ammunition, and, in response to a call for a volunteer from among the stretcher bearers, Parker at once came forward; he had during the previous three days displayed conspicuous bravery and energy under fire whilst in charge of the Battalion stretcher bearers. Several men had already been killed in a previous attempt to bring assistance to the men holding the fire trench. To reach this trench it was necessary to traverse an area at least four hundred yards wide, which was completely exposed and swept by rifle fire. It was already daylight when the party emerged from shelter and at once one of the men was wounded: Parker organised a stretcher party and then going on alone succeeded in reaching the fire trench, all the water and ammunition carriers being either killed or wounded. After his arrival he rendered assistance to the wounded in the trench, displaying extreme courage and remaining cool and collected in very trying circumstances. The trench had finally to be evacuated and Parker helped to remove and attend the wounded, although he himself was seriously wounded during this operation.

Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 22 June 1917. 22 June 1917, Numb. 30147, p. 6253