Name: Harold Fenwick Parker Rank: Major Regiment/Service: 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, R.C.A.C. 4th Recce. Regt. Date of Birth: May 1, 1908 Place of Birth: St. John, New Brunswick Date of Enlistment: October 26, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Bridgewater, NS Address At Enlistment: Yarmouth, NS Age at Enlistment: 31 Height: 6 feet Previous Military: 7th Canadian Machine Gun Corps 8th P. L. Hussars West Nova Scotia Regiment Trade: Theatre Manager [Yarmouth] Marital Status: Married Religion: United Church of Canada Next of Kin: Lillian Elizabeth Parker (Wife) St. John, NB Date of Death: November 4, 1943 Age at Death: 33 Cemetery: Moro River Canadian War Cemetery (Italy) Grave Reference: IV. F. 2. The 91st name on the WWII list of the Yarmouth War Memorial Commemorated on page 201 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 24 Harold Fenwick Parker was the son of Fenwick W. (born in 1880) and Anna May (Cosman) Parker (1882- 1940), of Saint John, New Brunswick. His mother died in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1940. He was the husband of Lillian Elizabeth (Rogers) Parker (1913-2014), of Saint John, NB. Harold and Lilian were married in Saint John, NB, on June 26, 1937. Prior to enlistment Harold was working as the manager of the Capitol Theatre and Strand Ballroom in Yarmouth, NS. Capitol Theatre (far right) can be seen with “Mrs Miniver” on screen (dating it to 1942) His attestation papers at enlistment with West Nova Scotia Regiment, records he had served with the 7th Canadian Machine Gun Company, completing a Machine Gun course in 1930. He was on the Canadian Bisley Team from 1932-1936 and also served with the 8th Princess Louise Hussars prior to enlistment in WWII. Major Parker served in Canada initially with the West Nova Scotia Regiment. He disembarked in the United Kingdom on December 31, 1939. He was assigned to the 151st OCTU (Officer Cadet Training Unit) with the Royal Signals at the Guillemont Barracks England upon arrival and shortly thereafter, from March 6 -23, 1940, he completed Sniper training at Hythe, Kent. He went on to instruct at the Sniper School in the spring of 1940. Harold was taken on strength with the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards on June 22, 1940. He served in the Italian Campaign from August 27, 1943 until his death. For the most part, the Princess Louise Dragoon Guards served as scouts and in the Italian Campaign took part in virtually all of the major actions. The regiment landed at Reggio di Calabria on the Italian mainland on September 3, 1943, and began providing 1st Canadian Infantry Division Headquarters with information with regard to the ground to the north including the condition of roads and bridges and the location and strength of enemy forces. When a reporter asked Squadron Commander Major Harold Parker as to what he and his men did in Italy he replied: "We keep driving until the enemy shoots at us. Then we know he is there". [From “Days of Victory” by Ted Barris, Alex Barris, 1995, page 50] On November 4, 1943 Major Parker’s armoured car was struck by a 75mm shell on the Torella-Duronia road. He was killed and his crew badly wounded.

Harold Fenwick Parker

Sources and Information: Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave.com