Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

1914 Star (1336 Pte. W. F. Parriss, H.A.C.) good very fine £100-140

One of the H.A.C. ‘muddy privates’ commissioned in the field in early 1915 due to the shortage of officers in Regular Battalions, at the request of Brigadier-General Ballard, commanding the 7th Brigade, following heavy casualties. According to the regimental history, ‘23 muddy privates went into the trenches as Platoon Commanders, NCOs could not be spared. They were paid as privates in the H.A.C. until the end of March when they were finally gazetted, but by that time some of them were dead and others badly wounded.’

Walter Frederick Parriss entered the France/Flanders theatre of war as a Private on 18 September 1914. As a 2nd Lieutenant he was killed in action in France and Flanders on 15 March 1915 whilst serving with the 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. Sold with copied extract from The Bond of Sacrifice, which states the following ‘He was killed on the 15th March 1915, shot dead while gallantly holding an advanced trench. His Commanding Officer wrote of him ‘He was so willing and ready to do anything, so brave and keen, that we shall miss him very much. Although he had been so short a time with us, he was very popular, a gallant boy with all the courage of his race.’

He was the son of John William and Selina Parriss of 4 Palmeira Square, Hove, Brighton.

With copied research.