Lieut. Henry Parker 297027

Lieut. Henry Parker

Canadian Forestry Corps.

Regimental Number 297027

Henry Albert Parker was born on April 15^th, 1886 in South Dummer Township, Ontario. He was the son of Thomas J. and Jane (Spouse) Parker.  The family farmed in Dummer for a number of years before moving to Havelock sometime after

Henry was living in Havelock, Ontario and working as a forestry engineer when he enlisted in Ottawa as a private with the 224^th Canadian Forestry Battalion on March 7^th, 1916.  He was 29 years old, unmarried and listed his religion as Methodist.  Henry stood 5 feet, 10 inches tall and sported a fair complexion, grey eyes and black hair.  He indicated that he had previous military service as a Sergeant with the C.C.Y.C., (Cadets) at Toronto University.

Parker trained in Canada with the Forestry Battalion for the next two months months, quickly rising in rank to Corporal on April 1st and then to Acting Sergeant on the 18^th.  He proceeded with his battalion overseas on April 25^th aboard the H.M.S. Empress of Britain.  He arrived safely in England on the 5^th of May and was stationed in London with the 224^th Battalion, where he was immediately promoted to Sergeant.   Parker was admitted to hospital the next day, suffering from hemoptysis (the coughing up of blood) and would spend nearly his entire first month overseas in a London hospital before being discharged on the 24^th of May.  After regaining his health, Sergt. Parker was engaged in the organization of timber operations within the Canadian Forestry Corps in London.

Sergeant Parker continued his rise in rank when he was posted as a temporary Lieutenant on July 12^th 1917.  This change would bring significant prestige of being a commissioned officer.  Two months later, on the first of September Lieutenant Parker was reassigned as the Director of Timber Operations for the 117^th company of the Canadian Forestry Corps in Southampton, England.

After two months in the south of England, Parker was transferred to the Canadian Forestry Base in Inverness, Scotland on November 21, 1917. He remained posted there for the remainder of the war, and even granted a six month leave with pay to attend the University of Edinburgh for studies from January 18^th to May 5^th 1919.

Henry Parker passed away on 1968 and is buried
in Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

Lieutenant Henry Parker embarked Glasgow on June 18^th 1919 aboard the H.M.T. Saturnia.  He arrived in Canada ten days later and was formally discharged in Medicine Hat, Alberta on July 3^rd 1919.  Parker remained in that province and continued to work in forestry for many years after the war.  He passed away in 1968 and is buried in Queen’s Park Cemetery in Calgary, Alberta.

Sources

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Series: MS929; Reel: 78; Record Group: RG 80-2.

Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1891. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Census Place: Dummer, Peterborough East, Ontario, Canada; Roll: T-6363; Family No: 180. Page 19.

Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Year: 1901; Census Place: Dummer, Peterborough (East/est), Ontario; Page: 4; Family No: 37

Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 155; Census Place: Maple Creek, Saskatchewan; Page Number: 1

Canada. "Military Service File of \henry Albert Parker." Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa: Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7588-41. Item Number 567198.