Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Major C. P. Parker, Royal Marines, late 5th Dragoon Guards

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut., 5/Drgn. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major) mounted court style for display, good very fine (4) £500-600

O.B.E. London Gazette 7 June 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 January 1917; 11 December 1917; 20 May 1918.

Charles Percival Parker was born in 1874 and educated at Uppingham School. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (Militia) on 30 December 1899 and then transferred to the 5th Dragoon Guards on 7 May 1900. Parker arrived in South Africa soon after the siege of Ladysmith and was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1900. Falling ill, he was invalided home and resigned his commission on 27 July 1901. He received one of just eight ‘Natal’ clasps to the regiment.

Commissioned into the Reserve of Cavalry following the outbreak of the Great War, he received a commission as Temporary Lieutenant in the Royal Marines on 1 March 1915 and served in France/Flanders, 1 March-1 August 1915 and again, October 1915 until the end of the war. Parker was promoted to Temporary Captain and employed on the Staff as an Assistant Quartermaster-General on 3 October 1918. He relinquished his commission with the rank of Major on 1 May 1919.

Although Parker served in France during 1915, he does not appear to have received a 1914-15 Star. His m.i.c. notes that his British War and Victory Medals were issued in 1925 and that his 1914-15 Star was to be issued by the Adjutant-General of the Navy but there is no indication it ever was. With copied roll extract, m.i.c. and service notes.