Edward Richard Parry

Edward Richard Parry served with 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on Gallipoli and in Egypt. They moved to France at the end of June 1916 and were sent to the Arras sector to get used to trench warfare. In August the move to the Somme was made and training began for an offensive in late September. On 26th September the Battle of Thiepval commenced and the battalion moved out of Constance trench following a creeping barrage. In ten minutes the first objective was taken and prisoners taken along with armaments. They also took the second objective quickly but had problems by keeping to close to the barrage, this causing casualties. A halt was made at Zollern trench for one hour allowing reorganisation of the men prior to the attack on Hessian Trench. The battalion took it's portion of the trench but other battalions had problems. This left the battalion 'sharing' the trench with the enemy and this would last overnight and into the following day. The brigadier put it thus - 'The manner in which Hessian Trench was tenaciously held during the night of 26/27th September by the 9th Sherwood Foresters reflected the greatest credit on that battalion as it was without touch on it's right and left with anyone except the enemy' It was though at high cost and one of these men was Edward. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. John Morse

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