Able Seaman John Burnell Parson d.17/6/1915

[Will O'Brien]

Details as per the CWGC

Name: PARSONS, JOHN BURNELL

Initials: J B

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Able Seaman

Regiment: Royal Navy

Unit Text: H.M.S. "Comet."

Age: 26

Date of Death: 17/06/1915

Service No: 235204

Additional information: Son of William and Elizabeth Parsons, of The Post Office, Combwich, Bridgwater, Somerset.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. B. 2.

Cemetery: BASRA WAR CEMETERY

[Will O'Brien]

Cemetery Details

Cemetery: BASRA WAR CEMETERY

Country: Iraq

Location Information: Basra is a town on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, 90 kilometres from its mouth in the Persian Gulf. The cemetery is about 8 kilometres north-west of Basra.

Historical Information: During the First World War, Basra was occupied by the 6th (Poona) Division in November 1914, from which date the town became the base of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. A number of cemeteries were used by the MEF in and around Basra; Makina Masul Old Cemetery was used from December 1914 to October 1916 and the Makina Masul New Extension was begun alongside the old cemetery in August 1917. These two sites, enlarged later when more than 1,000 graves were brought in from other burial grounds, now form Basra War Cemetery. The cemetery now contains 2,551 burials of the First World War, 74 of them unidentified. The headstones marking these graves were removed in 1935 when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. The names of those buried in the graves affected are now recorded on a screen wall. The cemetery also contains the Basra (Tanooma Chinese) Memorial, commemorating 227 unidentified casualties of the Chinese Labour Corps who were attached to the Inland Water Transport during the First World War. A panel in their memory was added to the screen wall when it became evident that their graves in Tanooma Chinese Cemetery could no longer be maintained. During the Second World War, Basra was the scene of fighting from 2 - 7 May 1941 when Iraqi forces were driven from the town, which then became a base for Commonwealth forces. Basra War Cemetery was used once again and after the war, further graves were brought in from other burials grounds in Iraq and Iran. There are now 365 Second World War burials in the cemetery. In addition, there are 37 war graves of other nationalities, many of them Polish, and 16 non-war burials. Directly opposite Basra War Cemetery is the Basra Indian Forces Cemetery containing burials of both wars, and the Basra Cremation Memorial commemorating Indian casualties of the Second World War whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith.

No. of Identified Casualties: 2893

[Will O'Brien]

H.M.S Comet was an Acorn Class Destroyer & was launched on 23rd June 1910.

It was one of a number of small Royal Navy ships which were used to support the 6th Indian Division capture Amara on the Tigris in June 1915. This would clarify why John Parsons is buried in Basra.

H.M.S Comet was finally torpedoed & sunk by U-boat whilst in the Med on 6th August 1918.

[Will O'Brien]

H.M.S Comet

[Myrtle]

In 1901 census John's Father appears to have been a Sub postmaster and File maker in Otterhampton Somerset. He was born in Combwich and his children also. John was 12 years old at the time of the census and he had an older brother of 14 called Leonard who was working as a "miller boy." There were also two sisters, Dorothy 10 years old and Jessie, a 20 year old dressmaker.

There is also a 30 year old listed called Henry who could have been John's brother or uncle. Interestingly the metal theme continues, with his occupation listed as Iron Merchant. John's father was 48 at the time of the census so he would have been a young father if Henry was his son. John's mother was two years older than her husband.

It seems that the family moved back to Combwich some time between 1901 and 1915 for John's father to take over the post office.