Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Supply Chief Petty Officer L. F. Parham, Royal Navy, who also served in the Merchant Navy and very briefly in the Army in the Great War, and went on to become a Commissioned Supply Officer, Royal Navy, in the Second World War

British War Medal 1914-20 (M.27267 L. F. Parham. V.A. R.N.); Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (Leonard F. Parham); Victory Medal 1914-19 (M.27267 L. F. Parham. V.A. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (M.27267 L. F. Parham. Sy. P.O. H.M.S. Durban.) contact marks, lightly polished, generally nearly very fine (4) £120-£160

Leonard Frank Parham was born on 9 October 1895, at Woolwich, Kent. He commenced naval service as a Ship’s Stewards Assistant in H.M.S. Victory I, on 21 August 1917. He was appointed as Victualler’s Assistant, H.M.S. Hyacinth, on 15 February 1918, and was then advanced to Leading Victualler’s Assistant, H.M.S. Dunedin, on 1 October 1920, and Supply Petty Officer, H.M.S. Greenwich, on 1 February 1925. He remained in the Royal Navy and was advanced to Supply Chief Petty Officer in H.M.S. Durban, in 1932. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in September 1932, which was sent to H.M.S. Durban.

Parham was shore pensioned from H.M.S. Boscawen, in August 1939, but was recalled for war service in the following month, to serve in H.M.S. Royal Arthur, H.M.S. Glendower, H.M.S. Victory II, and H.M.S. Cormorant. He was commissioned to become Temporary Acting Warrant Supply Officer, in September 1942. He still appears in the July 1949 Navy List as a Temporary Commissioned Stores Officer, with seniority from 1 September 1942.

Parham appears on the medal roll for the Mercantile Marine War Medal (Merchant Navy Discharge No., 882512) which was sent to his home address at 48 Burrage Road, Plumstead, London, the roll notes that the B.W.M. was issued by the Royal Navy. He is also noted as having enlisted in the Army Service Corps in January 1915, but was promptly discharged as “not likely to become an efficient soldier”.