Zenas's Story.
Zenas Parker still has family living in the Weaverham St. Mary’s Parish. Discussions with Robert Parker, from Acton Bridge and Vera Hodkinson, [Vera’s mother was a Parker] who lives in Weaverham, Zenas would be Robert's great uncle and Vera Hodkinson, would be Zenas's great niece. The C.W.G.C. information of Zenas's parents living at Acton Hall Farm, Acton Bridge, relates to a slight later period when they collated their data. Zenas is remembered on the Kingsley Memorial, which is in the Kingsley Cemetery opposite St. John’s Church. It is thanks to Robert & Vera that we have the picture of Zenas.
Unfortunately Zenas Parker's attestation papers are not available therefore unable to confirm details from his personal military records.
C.W.G.C remmeber Zenas Parker on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Panel 112 to 113, Belgium. Zenas was with the 7th Bn. King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, Service No 24057, died on the 26th Sept. 1917 aged 23. Son of Thomas and Jane Parker of Acton Hall, Acton Bridge, Northwich.
The 1911 census has Zenas living at home with mother and father, Jane (57) & Thomas (54) and two sisters, Dora (19 ) and Gladys (12), at Dodsley Farm Kingsley. Zenas (16) was working as a Bread Maker at Kingswood. [There is a Dodsley Hall Farm on Beech Road on the top side of Kingsley.] Zenas's two elder brothers, Henry (36) and Sidney (24), had moved on.
Discussions with the Shropshire Military Museum suggested that the C.W.G.C. records of contacting the families of lads or lasses killed to give information on the WW1 memorials/cemeteries and asking if the family
wished to add any words was mostly complete by 1921. This would suggest that Zenas's Mother and Father had moved into Acton Hall Farm by that date. Zenas will have signed up in 1915 and will have had up to 12 months training before going out to France. A member Military Museum suggested a booklet on the 7th King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) might be of interest. From that booklet about the time Zenas was killed; “On the 25th the battalion moved up in the light railway from Toronto Camp into Ypres, preparatory to the attack by the 3rd Division on Zonnebeke timed for the following day. This would be the third battle of Ypres 26th Sept. 1917 with the 7th Bat. KSLF part of the forces for the Battle of Polygon Wood. Strength of the Battalion: Officers 44, other ranks 957.”
The CWGC records show Zenas on the Tyne Cot Memorial rather than the Cemetery records therefore Zenas does not have a known grave. On that day 26th Sept. 1917, 62 lads from the King's Shropshire Light Infantry were killed, 9 lads have been buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery. The remaining 53 lads are listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The following information has been found and supplied by a Mr. Philip Morris via the Shropshire Military Museum.
The Liverpool Echo 3rd December 1917; MISSING LANCE-CORPORAL
Lance-Corporal Zenas Parker, of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, (Lewis-gun-section), is reported missing in France. He went out in August, 1916, and has been reported to his parents, by Sergeant Duckworth, was wounded on September 25th, 1917. His Officer second-Lieutenant Skidmore, has also written to say that he carried him to the rear and placed him in a shell-hole, as the enemy where shelling them heavily, he has not been posted in any casualty list, and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Parker, of Wigan’s Lake farm, Newton, Kingsley, Cheshire, will welcome information. (The Parker family had been on the move from the 1911 census, as the article has them living at Wigan's (Wiggans) Lake Farm, Newton, Kingsley. Still not at Acton Bridge at the end of 1917.)
This article is quite a long time after Zenas would have been reported injured/missing, being the 25th Sept. There may be other articles in local papers at this later date. Nothing in Guardian up to 31/5/18. Nothing found in the Chester Chronicle or the Warrington papers for the first weeks after the 25th Sept.
L/Cpl Zenas Parker Reg. No 24057 was awarded the Victory and British Medals. The Will and Probate information records Zenas effects as £74-10s-7d.
Research Bob Heaton