WW1 Private James John Parker 12/213

Private James John Parker

Private James John Parker was born on 27 June 1894 in Brooklyn, New York City and was the elder son of Mr. J. W. Parker, Brunswick Buildings, Queen Street, Auckland City.


His father had a long record of active service, including the Matabele war, the Spanish- American war, and the South African War, in which he served on the staff of General French. He was taken to England by his parents, and accompanied them to New Zealand about 1909. He lived for some time in at Porangahau in Hawke’s Bay, where he played in representative football and hockey. He was for some time in the employ of W Angus Builder of Newmarket as a carpenter and Messrs. Wilson and Horton, and until last August was a member of the Remuera Fire Brigade.

When war was declared Parker immediately volunteered, and was one of those accepted at the first medical examination of recruits for the 3rd Auckland Company of the Auckland Infantry Battalion. His brother was a member of the Fifth Reinforcements. J J Parker left for Suez on the Star of India on 16th October 1914. He contracted pneumonia and was in hospital in Zeitoun in Egypt from 30 March to 10th April 1915. On the 12th April he embarked for the Dardanelles and joined his unit at Anzac Cove on 21 May 1915. He was reported missing on the 5th June 1915. A Board of Enquiry held at Moascar Camp in Ismailia declared that he had been killed in action on 5th June 1915 at Quinns Post, Gallipoli. He was 20 years old.

He is remembered at the Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey.