Date of Birth
24 April 1893
College
Borough Road College
Service number
Unknown
WW1 rank
2nd Lieutenant
Royal Scots, 2nd Battalion
Theatre of war
France, Europe
Date of death
14 July 1916
Location of death
Longueval
Buried/memorial
Thiepval Memorial (Grave/Memorial reference: Pier and Face 6D and
Biography
Second Lieutenant Herbert Parsons was the younger song of Thomas and Maria Parsons. He attended Leeds Boys’ Modern School before entering Borough Road College with a King’s Scholarship. Whilst at the college Parsons played rugby, as well as competing in an inter-college sports day in 1912. In a commemorative book he is described as having “played well for the school, [taking] a lead place in his college team]. He spent three years at Borough Road College as a triarian, and is listed as being destined for a position abroad. After Borough Road College he took the BA degree at London University in 1913. Parsons accepted a teaching post under the London Education Committee, a job which was cut short with the outbreak of war. He enlisted in September 1914 into the London Irish Rifles, 18th Country of London Regiment, and was made a Sergeant Instructor. He was recommended for a commission and was gazetted into 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Scots. In September 1915 he was sent to France. Despite being wounded on the 5 December he returned to France, only to be killed on the 14 July 1916
Sources
Entry on p.87 [Roll of Honour page], BFSS/2/9/14/8 [BRCRU008], Leeds Boys' Modern School Memorial Book, 1914 Annual Report, 1915 Annual Report, BFSS/2/9/3/7 [BRCPF007], BRCIC005, Secondary source information provided by Douglas Craik (taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission), Commonwealth War Graves Commission