188971 (W/R 257615 Sapper Maurice Victor Parsons, R.E.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, P.E., MinstRE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(May 2023)

Figure 1. W/R 257615 Sapper Maurice Victor Parsons, R.E.
(Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

This research was prompted by the discovery of the photograph in Figure 1 on the Imperial War Museum web site “Lives of the First World War” (Royal Engineers). The information contained herein was derived from census data, civil documents, internet web sites, military documents and the soldier’s service papers. Where no citation is provided for information, the reader should assume that the source was the soldier’s service papers. Based on the available data every effort has been made to present Sapper Parsons’ story as accurately as possible. The author welcomes any additions or corrections that readers may care to provide.

Maurice Victor Parsons was the son of Richard George Parsons (1862-1918) and Adelaide Julia Parsons, née Waters (1863-1951). Richard and Adelaide were married at Portsea Island, Hampshire in April 1888. In addition to Maurice, the Parsons had four other sons:[1]

George and Edwin both died at Portsea Island in January 1893. Their deaths at the same location in the same month and year appear to be more than coincidental. Although the available family trees do not indicate the causes of their deaths, it is quite possible that they were tragically killed accidentally or that they both died of the same contagious disease. The fifth cholera pandemic from 1881 to 1896 claimed 250,000 lives in Europe.[2] The young lads may have been victims of cholera.

Maurice Victor Parsons was born at 16 Gunner Street in Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire on 12 July 1895. If cholera was the cause of his brothers’ deaths, his parents surely were fearful that the dreaded disease also might claim Maurice. They did not know at the time that the cholera pandemic had only one more year to run after the birth of Maurice and that it would essentially be wiped out in England by 1896.

Figure 2. The Pub at 4 Gunner Street in Portsmouth.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

The pub at No. 4 Gunner Street, shown in Figure 2 above, may have been the “local” for the Parsons family. By walking down the street to the left, passed the parked car, one would come to No. 16, the Parsons’ home. The photograph shows the buildings on Gunner Street down to as far as No. 8, but it is most likely that No. 16 looked the same as these buildings. Unfortunately, Gunner Street was demolished after World War 2 to make room for new housing.

On 31 March 1901, the date of the census of England for that year, the Parsons family was as shown in the table below.

(1) Richard’s wife’s name was Adelaide Julia. Unless she was using the name Julia at the time of the census, the census taker may not have been very accurate with the recording of her name.

(2) The census taker’s accuracy was further questioned when he listed Maurice’s name as Morris.[3]

(3) One or both of the Parsons older children must have been in school at the time, but no entry was made in this column to indicate that.

On 23 September 1909 at the age of 14 Maurice Parsons began working as a Clerk in the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway goods station in Fratton, Hampshire. The Fratton railway station was a station on Portsea Island. It was opened in the Fratton area on 1 July 1885 as an interchange station between the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the short-lived Southsea Railway branch line. According to the railway employment register, he earned 8 shilling per week working in the goods station. The Fratton station in 1909 may have looked something like the image in Figure 3 below at the time that Parsons worked there.

Figure 3. The Older Section of Fratton Railway Station, c. 2023.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

On 2 April 1911, the date of the census of England for that year, the composition of the Parsons family was as shown in the table below.

Maurice had continued to work for the railway and was moved from the goods station to the railway station where he became a Clerk. The railway register showed that when the Great War began in 1914, Maurice was earning £50 per year and when he enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1915 he was earning £60 per annum.

The following is a physical description of Maurice Victor Parsons in December 1915 when he enlisted in the Army.

Parsons enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Portsmouth on 3 December 1915. His address was still 16 Gunner Street and he indicated that he was a Clerk by trade. He was not married and he had no previous service in the forces. He stated that he was willing to be vaccinated, to enlist for General Service and to enlist for the duration of the war.

Parsons’ Attestation was certified on 3 December and he was given Regimental Number 188971 and rank of Sapper in the Railway Operating Division (R.O.D.) of the Royal Engineers and he was released to the Army Reserve. He returned to his job at the Fratton railway station.

On 17 June 1916, having been alerted that he was going to be called up for service in the war, Parsons left his job as a Clerk in the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. At the time he was earning £60 per year. On 19 June Mr. F.H. Dent, General Manager of the LB&SC Railway in London wrote an Identity Certificate for Parsons indicating that he had performed duties for the railway as a Shunter, a Brakeman and a Ground Signalman. His experience with the railway was undoubtedly the reason for his posting to the R.O.D. of the Royal Engineers.

Parsons was mobilized for service on 27 June 1916 and was given another medical examination at Winchester as a member of the Special Reserve. The results of this examination were essentially the same as his December 1915 examination, with the following additions:

NOTE: (x) Visual acuity is measured using the Snellen scale. A Snellen test usually consists of a number of rows of letters which get smaller as one reads down the chart. On the Snellen scale, normal visual acuity is called 6 / 6, which corresponds to the bottom or second bottom line of the chart.

On 28 June 1916 Parsons reported for duty at the Railway Operating Training Depot (R.O.T.D.) at Longmoor in Hampshire. There he received his basic recruit training as a soldier in the Royal Engineers as well as training in the railway duties that he would be required to perform in the unit to which he would be posted. Since he had worked at a number of trades with the LB&SC Railway in civil life, his military railway training probably was modified and perhaps curtailed somewhat.

Upon completing his training he was posted, as 188971 Sapper Maurice Victor Parsons, R.E. to the 26^th Broad Gauge Operating Company. He left for France on 6 September 1916 to join his unit.

As a point of information, a broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the 1,435 mm (4 feet 8½ inches) used by standard-gauge railways. A broad-gauge is also known as a wide gauge or large line. The distance between the two tracks in these railway gauges is 5 feet 6 inches (1,676 mm).

Broad gauge railways had certain advantages, such as better running properties of trains, higher load capacities even on poor ground, and higher speeds. In France, British Broad Gauge Operating (B.G.O.) Companies were used primarily on the Lines of Communication between the French ports on the English Channel to the rear areas of the British armies in the field. The B.G.O. Companies carried primarily supplies forward to the army areas, supplies such as food, ammunition, building materials and any other items needed by the front-line troops. They also carried troops from depot to the army rear areas and casualties back to the ports for evacuation. The operations of these companies were under the control of the Director General of Transportation. Any demands for the use of broad gauge facilities for tactical purposes by armies had to be approved by the General Headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.).[4]

Figure 4. A Broad Gauge Locomotive of the Railway Operating Division in France.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

Parsons’ service papers indicate that he was posted to the 26^th Broad Gauge Operating Company after his training at Longmoor. Unfortunately no published information was uncovered during this research project to determine the area of operation of this company, nor was the company’s war diary uncovered. His service records do show that he was posted to the company while the company was with the B.E.F.

Parson began his service with the 26^th B.G.O. Company as a Guard. As a Guard he was a train crew member responsible for operational and safety duties that did not involve actual operation of the train/locomotive. In this capacity he would travel on the train from its depot to its destinations to deliver troops, goods or supplies to army rear areas. A Guard essentially performed the duties of a modern day train Conductor.

The military railroads on the Western Front were a 24-hour a day operation. On 21 September 1917 Parsons train was due for a night run. His crew was to assemble at 1800 hours in preparation for its run, when Parsons was noted to be absent from parade from 1800 to 2000 hours. For this infraction he was awarded 3 days of Field Punishment No. 2. He probably was placed in fetters and handcuffs, but was not attached to a fixed object and was able to perform fatigue duties with his unit. This was a relatively tolerable punishment. In addition he was also subjected to hard labour and loss of pay for the 3 days of his punishment. He returned to his normal duties on 24 September.

On 22 September 1918 Parsons was remustered from the trade of a “Skilled” Guard, with and extra 1 shilling and 4 pence per day as his rate of Engineer Pay, to the trade of “Superior” Shunter at an elevated rate of Engineer Pay of 1 shilling and 8 pence per day.[5] As a Shunter he operated a type of small locomotive used for maneuvering railway vehicles over short distances. Shunters did not usually move trains over long distances, instead they typically assemble trains in order for another locomotive to take over. Records show that he was still a member of the 26^th B.G.O. Company at this time, but that his Regimental Number had been changed to WR/257615.

On 6 February 1919 Sapper Parsons was admitted to the 10^th Canadian Stationary Hospital at Calais[6] with synovitis of the knee.[7] Synovial joints, such as the hip and knee, have a sheath of tissue known as a joint capsule that contains a synovium. This membrane produces a special fluid to lubricate the joint and prevent wear on cartilage while the joint is in motion. Injuries, osteoarthritis and various types of inflammatory arthritis can cause swelling of the synovium, which can lead to pain and other symptoms.[8] Parsons was a young man at this time, so arthritis as a cause of this problem seems remote. However, due to the adverse weather conditions experienced by the soldiers in France, it is not impossible that arthritis was the cause of his ailment. On the other hand, given the large equipment that he was around every day performing his duties as a Shunter, and given the erratic movement of locomotives while shunting rolling stock, it is most likely that he injured his knee while performing his duties.

Parsons’ injury was such that he could not perform his duties for a month. On 5 March 1919 he was evacuated from the 10^th Canadian Stationary Hospital to England and was posted to the Railway Operating Training Depot at Longmoor. On 22 August 1919 he was given a medical examination in preparation for his discharge from the Army. The examination placed him in Medical Category A1 and he did not claim to be suffering from a disability due to military service. Medical Category A1 indicated that in the event of call up he would be fit for dispatching overseas, with regard to his physical and mental health and his training.

On 30 August 1919 Parsons was issued his Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity at Fovant, Wiltshire. This certificate showed his Regimental Number as WR/257615 and his rank as Sapper, Royal Engineers, Railway Operating Division. His intended place of residence was 1 St. John Road in Fratton, Portsmouth.[9] Parsons Medical Category is shown as B2 and in case of an emergency he was to rejoin the forces at Longmoor. The B2 Medical Category indicated that he would be able to walk 5 miles and to see and hear sufficiently for ordinary purposes. Within 8 days, from the time of his return to England to the preparation of his Protection Certificate, his medical category had been downgraded from A1 to B2. His synovitis problem surely was the cause of the change. On 26 September 1919 Parsons was transferred to the Army Reserve.

The following sections are presented in tabular form to summarize Parsons’ promotions, appointments, and the medals that he was awarded during his time in the Army. They are provided to give the reader easy access to these aspects of his military service. The tables are followed by sections dealing with his marriage, personal information and post-service life.

Parsons did not receive any promotions during his time in service. He remained a Sapper the entire time.

For his service in the Great War of 1914-1918 Parsons was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.[10]

Figure 6. The British War Medal and Victory Medal
(Image from the author’s collection)

NOTE: The medals shown above are not Parsons medals. They are illustrated to show the types of medals that he would have earned.

Figure 7. The Great War Medal Index Card of Sapper M.V. Parsons, R.E.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)

Sapper Parsons was released from service on 26 September 1919. His total service was reckoned as shown in the tables below:

9. MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND PERSONAL INFORMATION[11]

Maurice Victor Parsons married Constance Mary Beecher (1897-1991) in Medway, Kent on 18 October 1921. Constance died in Guildford, Surrey on 25 April 1991.

On 4 July 1922 Constance gave birth to twins; Margaret Blanch Parsons (1922-1975) and Doris May Parsons (1922-2001) in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Margaret Blanch Parsons married Ronald J. Dewey (1923-?) in Portsmouth in April 1949. They did not have any children. Margaret died on 22 January 1945 in Bath at the age of 52.

Doris May Parsons married John Henry Higman (1923-1979) in Portsmouth in July 1947. They did not have any children. John died in South Western Surrey on 3 September 1979. Doris died in Guildford, Surrey on 1 December 2001 at the age of 79.

As previously discussed, Parsons’ two younger brothers, George Alexander and Edwin Frank had died as infants, aged 4 years and 2 years, respectively. His two surviving brothers were Stanley Waters and Albert Lionel.

Stanley Waters Parsons (1893-1959) was born at Portsea Island, Hampshire on 1 July 1893. He married Mabel Louise Lewis (1898-1985) at Portsmouth in July 1921. His family tree does not indicate that they had any children.

Stanley would have been 21 years old when the Great War started in 1914 and was certainly eligible for military service. A search of Medal Index Cards using both his full name and his initials resulted in two possible men both with the initials S.W. Parsons. One man served in the Army Service Corps and the other in the Royal Field Artillery. Without his service papers it is not possible to know if either of these men were Maurice’s brother. Stanley died in Portsmouth on 15 April 1959 at the age of 65.

Albert Lionel Parsons (1898-1963) was born at Portsea Island on 26 January 1898. His family tree does not indicate that he ever married.

He would have been only 16 years old in August 1914 when the war started. However, by August 1916 he would have been 18 and eligible for service. A search of Medal Index Cards using both his full name and his initials resulted in one man by the name of Albert L. Parsons.

Figure 8. The Great War Medal Index Card of Albert L Parsons.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)

Without his service papers it is not possible to know if this man was Maurice’s brother. The MIC indicates that he served as 69712 Private in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and 64073 Private in the South Wales Borderers. Albert’s family tree shows no information to indicate that he ever lived or worked in Wales, so his service in a Welsh regiment is questionable. Albert died in Cambridge on 21 April 1963 at the age of 65.

On 16 November 1919 Maurice Victor Parsons returned to work with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. When he returned to the railway his wages were £80 per year, a considerable increase over his 1916 wages when he was called up for service in the Army. His residence at the time was 91 Ringwood Road in Eastney, Portsmouth. After his marriage he and his wife continued to live at this address and they remained there until his death in 1942. The 1939 Register of England shows Maurice and Constance living at this address, with Maurice’s occupation listed as Railway Clerk. Although their daughters were not married in 1939, they were both living somewhere other than with their parents.

Figure 9. The Parsons Home at 91 Ringwood Road, Portsmouth.
(Image courtesy of Google Earth)

Maurice Victor Parsons died at the Papworth Village Settlement in Cambridgeshire on 19 November 1942.[12] Papworth Village Settlement was founded in 1917 by Doctor (later Sir) Pendrill Varrier-Jones, who was its administrator until his death in 1941. It consisted of a hospital and sanatorium where patients in all stages of tuberculosis were received and treated, and a "settlement" where "ex-patients"' lived with their families in a rural environment.[13] Since Maurice was only 47 when he died, it is fair to assume that he may have been a patient and that he died from tuberculosis.

Maurice was buried in the non-military section of Milton Cemetery, in Portsmouth. Probate of his will took place in London on 25 January 1943 with his effects going to his widow, Constance Mary Parsons. His effects amounted to £888-9s-4d (about $66,350 US in 2023 currency).

2. AVES, W.T. The Lines Behind the Front; The Railways in support of the British Expeditionary Forces in the Great War: A Photographic Record, Lydney, 2016.

[1] Family trees (hylandgreen7).

[2] Diseases and Epidemics of the 19^th Century.

[3] This error may be due to the fact that in the U.K. the name Maurice is frequently pronounce Morris.

[4] HENNIKER, p. 344.

[5] Service Pay in addition, to their regular pay, was granted to men in the Royal Engineers who demonstrated proficiency in their military trades. Service Pay was awarded in seven classes, with Class I being the highest.

[6] This hospital existed at Calais from December 1917 to 16 April 1919.

[7] Imperial War Museum.

[8] Wikipedia.

[9] A modern structure is located at this address.

[10] Medal Index Card.

[11] Family trees (hylandgreen7).

[12] Imperial War Museum.

[13] Wikipedia.

Census Place: 16 Gunner Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Name and Surname of each Person	Relation	Marital Status	Age	Profession or Occupation	Birthplace
Richard G. Parsons	Head	Married	39	Carpenter/ Joiner	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Julia A. Parsons ⁽¹⁾	Wife	Married	37		Portsmouth, Hampshire
Stanley W. Parsons	Son		7	⁽³⁾	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Morris [sic] Parsons ⁽²⁾	Son		5	⁽³⁾	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Albert L. Parsons	Son		3		Portsmouth, Hampshire

Census Place: 16 Gunner Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Name and Surname of each Person	Relation	Marital Status	Age	Profession or Occupation	Birthplace
Richard G. Parsons	Head	Married	49	Joiner, H.M. Dockyard	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Adelaide J. Parsons	Wife	Married	47		Portsmouth, Hampshire
Stanley Waters Parsons	Son	Single	18	Gas Fitter	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Maurice Victor Parsons	Son		15	Railway Clerk	Portsmouth, Hampshire
Albert Lionel Parsons	Son		13	School	Portsmouth, Hampshire

Apparent age:	20 years and 5 months
Height:	5 feet 7½ inches
Chest (expanded):	33½ inches
Range of expansion:	3 inches
Distinctive marks:	none
Religion:	Church of England

Weight:	116 pounds
Physical development:	fair
Vaccination marks:	2 on the right arm from infancy
Vision:	Right eye, 6/6. Left eye, 6/6 ^(x)
Slight defects:	Slightly under weight but will improve

Date of Appointment	Position
27 June 1916	Railway Guard (“Skilled”) upon mobilization.
22 September 1918	Remustered as a Shunter (“Superior”).

Date of Appointment

Location

Location

Total Service (Active)

Total Service (Reserve)

9. MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND PERSONAL INFORMATION[11]

Location	Period of Service
Army Reserve	3 December 1915 – 26 June 1916
Longmoor	27 June 1916 – 5 September 1916
France	6 September 1916 – 4 March 1919
Longmoor	5 March 1919 – 25 September 1919

Location	Period of Service
Home Service	8 months and 31 days
Service Abroad	2 years, 5 months and 27 days
Total Service (Active)	3 years, 2 months and 28 days
Total Service (Reserve)	6 months and 24 days