The fine Western Front Member of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and Mention in Despatches group awarded to Quarter Master and Honorary Captain W.H. Parsons, 18th Hussars, who having seen service in the Boer War in South Africa on operations in Transvaal, Cape Colony and Orange Free State would receive his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1904. Being commissioned in 1911 he would see service on the Western Front from 15th August 1914 and would receive a Mention in Despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January 1916. Being declared permanently unfit on 13th October 1917 he would subsequently be employed at Tidworth before later being appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the London Gazette of 12th December 1919 for his earlier services in France, before being retired on full pay on 9th January 1922.
Group of 7: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. 1st type, Military Division; Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 5 Clasps: Transvaal, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; (3025 QR:MR-SERJT. W. PARSONS. 18TH HUSSARS). 1914 Star and 5th Aug-22nd Nov 1914 bar; (HON:LT. & Q.M. W.H. PARSONS. 18/HRS.) British War Medal and Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches oak leaf emblem; (Q.M. & CAPT. W. PARSONS.); Coronation Medal 1911; Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, EVII; (3025 Q.M. SERJT. W.H. PARSONS. 18TH HUSSARS.)
Condition: dark toned, minor contact wear throughout, Very Fine to Good Very Fine
William Henry Parsons was born in Bridgewater, Somerset and giving his trade as a farmer attested at London on 9th June 1886, joining the 18th Hussars as a Private (No. 3025).
On 8th June 1889 he would be promoted Corporal and shortly thereafter on 3rd September 1889, he would travel to India where he would remain for 9 years and 42 days being promoted Sergeant on 1st February 1890, and re-engaging to complete 21 years service on 10th December 1895. Promoted Quarter Master on 15th June 1897, he would travel to South Africa on 15th October 1898 and be appointed Squadron Sergeant Major on 1st May 1899. On 9th June 1899 he would return home to the UK.
Parsons would be promoted Quarter Master Sergeant on 2nd January 1901, and would then return to South Africa on 3rd April 1901 where he would take part in the Boer War, participating in operations in Transvaal, Cape Colony and Orange Free State before returning home on 31st October 1902.
Having returned home he subsequently received the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal by Army Order 172 of 1904.
On 13th May 1907 he would be allowed to continue after 21 years service, and would be promoted to Warrant Officer Regimental Sergeant Major on 24th August 1907, being discharged to a commission on 4th July 1911. Still serving upon the outbreak of the Great War, he saw service on the Western Front from 15th August 1914 as an Honorary Lieutenant and Quarter Master with the 18th Hussars. He would receive a Mention in Despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January 1916 for his services in France, and having been appointed Honorary Captain on 1st July 1917, would then be declared permanently unfit by a medical board on 13th October 1917.
Parsons would go on to be appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the London Gazette of 12th December 1919 for his earlier service in France during the Great War. The recipients Great War medals would be sent to the Cavalry School at Netheravon, Wiltshire where he was then employed as an Honorary Captain with the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment.
After his return from France he would serve as the Garrison Messing Officer at Tidworth, where he introduced the system of Garrison Messing in that Station, and afterwards trained a number of other Officers for similar duties in the Southern Command. He was afterwards posted as Quartermaster to a Reserve Regiment where he introduced a scheme for ensuring economy in the issue of clothing etc., and that the ‘life’ of garments’ should approximate that required in peacetime.
He would retire with a pension on 9th January 1922, and his wife would be issued a widows pension of £50 per year from 31st December 1929 the date of William Henry Parsons’ passing.
