Description
Naval General Service Medal, EIIR, bar Near East, RM11517 Marine William Alexander Ferguson “Billy” Parks, Royal Marines. Suez Canal Crisis of 1956.
Officially impressed; “R.M. 11517 W.A.F. Parks. Mne. R.M.”
Confirmed on the medal roll, which adds that he was serving at the time on board “H.M. Ships”.
With some copy photographs throughout his life including in his Royal Marines uniform.
William Alexander Ferguson Parks aka Billy was born on 26th May 1932 in Larne, Country Antrim, Northern Ireland.
He came from an Irish family who had lived in Country Antrim for over 100 years.
He married in Surrey SW, to Kathleen M. Pullen during 1955, not long before he was deployed to Egypt in 1956.
He later died on 26th September 2006 in Wandsworth, London.
William’s father was Thomas John Parkes DCM, a Belfast man who earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal in France during WW1 with number 13070 with the 8th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
His fathers citation would read:
“For conspicuous gallantry and ability during an attack at Ginchy on 9th September 1916. When all of the officers and most of the N.C. Officers of 1 company had been killed or wounded, Sjt Parks, of another company, took command and led them forward to the final objective. He displayed fine powers of leadership, and his example had a splendid effect on his men.”
His father was decorated at the UVF Hospital by Brigadier General G.W. Hacket Pain C.B. who “congratulated him on his daring and initiative, and expressed the hope that the recipient of the medal would be long spared to wear the decoration. The General added that it was a great pleasure to him to present medals for gallantry. Most of the soldiers present knew what it mean to win one of those decorations in France or in other places where fighting was going on.”