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William Edward Parry

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Captain Parry of HMS Achilles. Showing Captain Parry of HMS Achilles being presented with a Maori cloak at a reception at the Auckland Town Hall. February 1940. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1370-289-6. Copyright or other restrictions may apply to this image.

Captain Parry of HMS Achilles. Showing Captain Parry of HMS Achilles being presented with a Maori cl …

Identity

  • Title
    Sir AWMM
  • Forenames
    William Edward AWMM
  • Surname
    Parry AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    8 April 1893 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Navy AWMM
  • Service number
  • Military service
    Royal Navy Record Book of Naval Personnel (R21346617)
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Admiral Sir William Edward Parry KCB (8 April 1893 – 21 August 1972) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He joined the Royal Navy 1905 and served in the First World War. He was appointed Officer in charge of the Anti-Submarine Establishment at Portland in 1936. During the Second World War, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the New Zealand Division commanding HMNZS Achilles at the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939. He assumed command of HMS Renown in 1943. He took part in the Normandy landings and served on the staff of Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force in 1944. After the war he became Deputy Head of the Naval Division at the Allied Control Commission in Germany. Parry became Director of Naval Intelligence in July 1946 and Chief of Naval Staff (Commander-in-Chief) of the Royal Indian Navy in August 1948. He was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1950 New Year Honours before retiring in 1951. In the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate, Parry was played by Jack Gwillim. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    21 August 1972 AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    Record Book of Naval Personnel - c.1920-1945 - Lists Navy number, alphabetical list of names of ratings trained in England, numerical lists of officers. Archives New Zealand, R21346617, AAYT 8495 N12
    https://collections.archives.govt.nz/en-NZ/web/arena/search#/entity/aims-archive/R21346617
    Further Reference
  • References
    Record Book of Naval Personnel - c.1920-1945 - Lists Navy number, alphabetical list of names of ratings trained in England, numerical lists of officers. Archives New Zealand, R21346617, AAYT 8495 N12 AWMM

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