Private Horace Parker

This Webpage is to commemmorate Private Horace Parker of the 11th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, 16th Irish Division, who fell in the Kaiser's Battle on 31st March 1918, and the many soldiers, of all armies, who died in the Great War 1914-1918.

The sap of Spring in the young wood a-stir
Will celebrate with green the Mother,
And every song-bird shout awhile for her;
But we are gifted, even in November
Rawest of seasons, with so huge a sense
Of her nakedly worn magnificence
We forget cruelty and past betrayal,
Heedless of where the next bright bolt may fall.


From "The White Goddess"
by Robert Graves, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Contributed by Peter Glynn, Horace's grand-nephew

Private Horace Parker of the 11th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, the Pioneer Battalion of the 16th Irish Division, was killed on 31st March 1918 during the Kaiserschlacht.

Horace was aged 25 when he was killed. He is buried in the Villers-Bretonneux military cemetery. He is believed to have been a member of Carey's Force

He had arranged to meet his brother. Lieutenant Charles Parker MM RFA, (3rd Division) just 3 three days before he died.However the brothers, one a private, the other an officer,could only spend their short time together in a trench due to the differences in rank.

Horace Parker was killed at about the same time as the 16th Irish Division, as originally envisaged, ceased to exist

He is buried in Villiers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row

From 'In Flanders Fields' by John McCrae, Medical Officer, 1st Canadian Divison, Died in France, 28th January, 1918

Return to 16th Irish Division Website