Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Chief Petty Officer E. Parsons, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (J.19968, E. Parsons, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.19968 E. Parsons. A.B. R.N.); Jubilee 1935 (J.19968 E. Parsons. P.O. R.N.) contemporarily engraved naming; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (J.19968. E. Parsons. P.O. H.M.S. Excellent.) mounted as worn, edge bruising and contact marks, fine and better (5) £120-£160

Ernest Parsons was born in Clapham, London, on 29 August 1895 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class in September 1912. Promoted Able Seaman and posted to the Cruiser H.M.S. Birmingham, he served in her during the Battles of Heligoland and Dogger Bank, before being posted to the cruiser H.M.S. Caledon in March 1917, and was present in her at the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 17 November 1917. Caledon was Commodore Walter Cowan’s Flagship and part of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron in what was the last ‘big-ship’ engagement of the Great War; she was hit amid ships by a large calibre German shell killing and wounding most of the crew of one of her guns. Seaman J. H. Carless, although mortally wounded, continued to serve his gun before finally succumbing to his wounds, and for his great gallantry was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

Parsons next served in the Monitor M16 at Mudros in 1918, and was advanced Petty Officer in May 1926. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1928, and was awarded the Jubilee Medal as a member of the Royal Honour Guard for H.M. King George V’s visit to Portsmouth. Shore demobilised in October 1938, he was recalled for War service the following year, and serving at various shore based establishments was promoted Chief Petty Officer in September 1942. He was finally shore released in October 1946. He died in Sutton, Surrey, in 1974.

Sold with copied research.