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Cenotaph record

William John Parker

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South African War Memorial, on a wall near RSA entranceway, Gisborne. "Volunteers from Poverty Bay who served in the Sth African War 1899-1902". Image kindly provided by Paul Baker (December 2008). Image has no known copyright restrictions.

South African War Memorial, on a wall near RSA entranceway, Gisborne. "Volunteers from Poverty Bay w …

Identity

About

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  • Title
    Private Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Forenames
    William John AWMM
  • Surname
    Parker AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    8740 AWMM
  • Gender
    • Male AWMM
    • Male Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    1877 Public Source
  • Date of birth
    1877 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - BMD NZ Records
  • Place of birth
    Katikati, NZ Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - BMD NZ Records
  • Birth notes
    Son of John Rollo Comerford Parker & Annie (nee' Wylie) of Katikati, NZ Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Tauranga Memories website
  • Address before enlistment
    Gisborne Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Post war occupation
    coachbuilder Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    father - John Rollo Comerford Parker, Whataupoko, Gisborne Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Relationship status
    single Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    • Army AWMM
    • NZ Mounted Rifles Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Service number
    8740 AWMM
  • Military service
    • 10th Contingent Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
    • 1902 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    1902 SA War Medal Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
    Coachbuilder Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
  • Age on enlistment
    23 yrs Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record

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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  • Last rank
    Private Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Discharged in South Africa

      Father was named John Rollo Charles Parker. AWMM
    • William John Parker (1877-?). Born in Katikati in 1877 (reg. 1877/11393). John was a coach builder. He served in the South African Conflict (Boer War 1902) (Service No. 8740). 10th Contingent, B Squadron.
      He was the son of:
      Katikati school teacher John Rollo Comerford Parker was also known as 'Rollo'. His marriage in 1876 to fellow settler Annie Wylie was the first reported wedding in the Katikati district.

      John Rollo Comerford Parker was born at St Mary De Lode, Gloucestershire in England in c1850. His parents were John and Jane N Parker (nee Comerford).

      He arrived in New Zealand on board the Carisbrooke Castle with George Vesey Stewart's first party of settlers. The ship arrived in Auckland on 8 September 1875.

      John married Annie Wylie in Katikati on 17 August 1876 (reg. 1876/2246). The wedding was the first in the district and was reported in the New Zealand Herald: On Thursday last we had the first wedding in the district, the happy couple being Mr Parker and Miss Annie Wylie, the marriage ceremony being performed by the Rev. Mr. Crossley, at his dwelling-house 25 August 1876

      Annie was born in County Armagh in Ireland in c1850 to Joseph and Mary Ann Wylie. She left Belfast for New Zealand with her family on 8 June 1875 on board the Carisbrooke Castle.
      John was part of the New Zealand Armed Constabulary. In 1880 he was appointed teacher at Whangaroa Native School near Kaeo.

      In March 1881 he was transferred to the Ohinemutu Native School: Mr Rollo Parker, formerly of Katikati, has has received an excellent appointment as school teacher at the Hot Lakes. The Chief Inspector of Schools spoke in the highest terms of his school at the Bay of Islands as being the best conducted in the colony (Bay of Plenty Times, 24 March 1881, p. 2).

      By 1893 he was farming at Matakohe, Northland, and later at Makaraka near Gisborne.

      In August 1898 he moved the family back to Katikati and took up the position as teacher at the newly re-opened Katikati No 1 School: Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/en/katikati_history/topics/show/2543-john-rollo-comerford-parker-c1850-1914
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Death

About death

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  • Death
  • Date of death
    1918 Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 October 2023 - SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS
    POVERTY BAY HERALD, VOLUME LXIII, ISSUE 19023, 25 MAY 1936, PAGE 11
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
    South Africa Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 October 2023 - SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS
    POVERTY BAY HERALD, VOLUME LXIII, ISSUE 19023, 25 MAY 1936, PAGE 11
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    • William John Parker was discharged in 1902 and he remained to live in Newcastle, Natal, SA Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Military Record
    • SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS
      MOTIONS OF CONDOLENCE REUNION ARRANGEMENTS A special meeting of the Gisborne branch of the South African Veterans' Association was held in the Selvyn Hall on Saturday to make final arrangements for the annual reunion and church parade to be held at the end of the week. The chairman, Veteran F. Collin, before proceeding with the business for which the meeting was called, said he had again the unpleasant duty of asking those present that evening to pass a motion of sympathy and condolence to relatives of members who had passed away since last meeting. He referred to Veteran J. Gibson, Makaraka, Veteran W. J. Parker, a brother of Veteran J. R. Parker, of the Gisborne branch, who had died recently in South Africa, and also Band Sergeant H. .J. Murphy, of the W.D.C.M.P.. Band, who had placed his services at the disposal of the association, and of one of the old pioneers, the late Mrs. Hurrey, mother of a past president, Veteran J. H Hurrey. The. motion was carried, those present standing in silence. Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 31 October 2023 - SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS
      POVERTY BAY HERALD, VOLUME LXIII, ISSUE 19023, 25 MAY 1936, PAGE 11
  • Memorial name
    S A War Memorial (on exterior wall of RSA), Childers Road, Gisborne Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 July 2015 - Research
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    War Memorial Theatre, 159 Bright Street, Gisborne AWMM

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
31 October 2023Lorraine Mona Gisborne Researcher
03 July 2015Lorraine MGisborne, NZResearcher

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