Name
Bertie Walter Parkins
1893/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/06/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31204
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY
VI. F. 25.
France
Headstone Inscription
GOD TAKES OUR LOVED ONES FROM OUR HOME BUT NEVER FROM OUR HEARTS
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial
Pre War
Bertie Walter Parkins was born in late 1893 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Walter and Alice Parkins, and one of eight children. He was baptised at St Paul's Church, Hemel Hempstead on 21 January 1894.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at the 12 Redbourne Road, Hemel Hempstead which was the Old Bell Gate Pub. His father was listed as a bricklayer, but presumably also was the landlord.
It is not known what job Bertie did when he left school, but after 1911 he met Alice Mabel Croft, A sewing machinist who lived at Kemp Cottage, Grovehill, Hemel Hempstead and her father was a coachman at nearby Grovehill House. They married in Berkhamsted in early 1914 and lived at 51 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead close to the Old Bell Gate Pub. Their son Eric was born on 19 April 1914 and a second son, Ron, was born on 31 August 1916.
(His widow's address was given as 10 Union Street, Hemel Hempstead on pension records and later changed to The Poplars, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Bucks.)
Wartime Service
Bertie was called up in 1916 and enlisted in Watford, joining the Bedfordshire Regiment, being posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion at Felixstowe for basic training. He was sent to France just before Christmas 1916 and posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion, joining them on 6 January 1917 as part of a draft of 174 men. He saw some action in the trenches for the next few months and was also involved in trench making and training until early April.
On 15 April the Battalion attacked and over two days gained ground in the area of Hill 70 between Vermelles and Grenay, near Loos. The Germans then responded with a heavy bombardment which continued until the Battalion was relieved on 19 April. Although they held the ground, the cost in casualties was high with 224 men killed or wounded and Bertie sent a letter home telling his wife how awful it was describing it as "Hell upon Earth", and saying "oh I do long to be home with you. I wish it were all over".
In late June, the Battalion were in the trenches and sometime between 19 and 26 June Bertie was wounded in action and taken to No. 33 Casualty Clearing Station, where he died of his wounds on 26 June 1917, aged 23. A letter from Reverend P Losely was reproduced in the local newspaper. He wrote to Alice after Bertie died saying that his wounds were grievous and had he been spared he would have lost both legs, and that he sank into unconsciousness soon after being admitted. Bertie is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 12s 0d. She also received a pension of £1 2s 11d a week for herself and her two sons. She ordered his headstone inscription: "GOD TAKES OUR LOVED ONES FROM OUR HOME BUT NEVER FROM OUR HEARTS". Mrs A M Parkins, 51 Chaple [Chapel] Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com
