Eight: Private F. G. Parke, South Staffordshire Regiment and Foresters
General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (5825022 Pte., S.Staff.R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953; Regular Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (5825022 Pte., Foresters) mounted as worn, together with photo of the recipient and his original ‘Chindit’ and 14th Army cloth insignia good very fine (8) £300-350

Born in Lowestoft on 1 August 1910, he was a labourer by trade and initially joined the Suffolk Regiment in 1930, transferring to the 1st South Staffs in 1931. The 1st South Staffs had a gruelling time during the Secon War, taking part in the retreat from Dunkirk, and then in the desert during the siege of Tobruk. They were later posted to Burma where they came under Orde Wingate’s command in the 3rd Indian Division. The South Staffs were designated as 77th Indian Brigade under the legendary Brigadier ‘Mad Mike’ Calvert. They took part in the 2nd Chindit operation in 1944, being flown in by glider, and were prominent in the action at Pagoda Hill, a ferocious hand to hand struggle during which Lieut. George Cairns won his Posthumous Victoria Cross. The survivors of the regiment were amalgamated with the 45th Reconnaissance Regiment to become a Parachute Battalion, but were still in training when the war came to an end. Parke remained in the army and later transferred to the Notts & Derby Regiment.