The Men

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UW Y

PARKES, WILLIAM JOHN

Rank:

Trade:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:

Grave Reference:
Text on stone:

Rank:
Trade:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:
Grave Reference:
Text on stone:

Warrant Officer Class II
S.S.M.
2717391
17/09/1944
33
Irish Guards 2nd Bn.
II. B. 8.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them

 

Additional Information:
Son of Joseph and Esther W. Parkes, of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Born 7-6-1912 in Belfast, Ireland.

William John Parkes was a tank commander of an tank from the Irish Guards. On the 17th of September 1944 his tank was part of an operation called “Market Garden”. The Irish Guards broke out of there bridgehead at Lommel Belgium in their race to reach Arnhem. In the first minutes of the operation 9 tanks of the Irish Guards were ambushed on the road toward Valkenswaard. William `Bill` his tank was one of them. Later that day his brother who served at the 3rd battalion Irish Guards passed the corpse of William on the road toward Valkenswaard. It was only then that he found out his brother was killed.

More info in the book “De weg naar Valkenswaard”.

Gruesome picture of William John Parkes his body. This picture became very well known after the war.

Family gravestone of the Parkes family.