Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Compton Parsons, Royal Army Medical Corps, late New Zealand Medical Corps

British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Lt. Col., R.A.M.C.); New Zealand Long & Efficient Service Medal, 2nd issue, by G. T. White (Surgeon-Major, N.Z. Vol. Med. Staff (1905)); Volunteer Force Long Service (India & the Colonies), V.R. (Surgeon Major, N.Z. Vol. Medical Staff (1902)) correction to unit; Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., unnamed, hallmarks for London 1919, with top bar; Belgium, Croix de Guerre, ‘A’ cypher, with bronze ‘A’ palm on ribbon, mounted as worn, good very fine (7) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Henry Compton Parsons was born in London on 13 June 1861. He was educated at Mansion House School, Leatherhead, and at Dulwich College. He then entered medicine and received his medical training at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, graduating as a L.R.C.P. London and M.R.C.S. England, in 1885. Parsons was then House Physician at the Royal free Hospital, London, and later Surgeon with Lamport & Holt’s and the White Star Lines. Very shortly afterwards he settled in New Zealand and he practised at Kaiapoi to the north of Christchurch. He remained in New Zealand for some 20 years. Parsons joined the New Zealand Militia. In 1888 he was appointed Honorary Surgeon of the Kaiapoi Rifles, which formed part of the 1st Battalion Canterbury Rifles; he was promoted to Surgeon Major in September 1900. In 1902 Parsons was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal, this notified in the New Zealand Gazette of 21 August 1902. In common with other Colonial Auxiliary Force L.S. Medals of this period awarded to New Zealanders, what was actually issued was the Volunteer Force Long Service Medal in error. In 1905 he was awarded the New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal. On his return to the U.K. in about 1904, he practised firstly in Hamstead, London and then at Torrington, North Devon. As a Major in the New Zealand Medical Corps he transferred to the Reserve of Medical Officers on 21 September 1910. On the outbreak of war, Major Parsons was appointed a Temporary Major in the R.A.M.C. (T.F.). He then served with the 2nd Wessex Field Ambulance based at Exeter. He served in France with them from 11 February 1917. For his services he was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 7 February 1921). Post-war he was awarded the Territorial Decoration, this notified in the London Gazette of 22 March 1920. All through the war he had remained on the New Zealand Reserve of Officers, and he was subsequently was placed on the Retired List as an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel with seniority of 1 February 1918. In the 1920’s he was employed as Medical Superintendent of the Ministry of Pensions Hospital at Cannock Chase, Hednesford, Staffordshire. Lieutenant-Colonel Parsons died on 30 July 1937. Sold with copied research.