Charles Edward Parker

A Private with the 7th Battalion, Charles died on 27th of March 1918 at the age of 24. 

Records indicate that Charles was born at Piccadilly, London, in 1894, a son of Charles and Alice Emma Dickerson-Parker. Charles’ father had served in the Scots Guards and was present at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, thereafter his father was in the Army Reserve for many years until his death in 1895. Charles has not been traced in the 1901 Census, but his mother, and sister Florence, were boarders at Cromer. In 1911 his mother married James Miller at Pakefield and the 1911 Census shows Charles living with his mother, and step-father, at 4 King’s Cottages, Carlton Road, Pakefield, and Charles working as a general labourer. Later his mother lived at 59 Clemence Street.  

Charles volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 9175. He was posted to the 7th battalion and arrived in France with the battalion on 30 May 1915. By March 1918 Charles was serving with B Company,

On 26 March 1918 the 7th Battalion were given the task of protecting the approaches to the town of Albert against the German advance. A Company were to defend the railway cutting area with positions covering the Albert-Millencourt Road and the Albert-Amiens Road. In the next two days the Battalion held the defences but suffered 244 casualties. Charles was reported missing and later presumed to have been killed in action on 26 to 27 March 1918.