Photocopied diary of Percy George Rupert Parkes, 1917-1918

Parkes, Percy George Rupert, MC and Bar (Captain, b.1891 - d.1983)

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Places	Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Pas de Calais, Boulogne Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Albert Bapaume Area, Bapaume Europe: United Kingdom, England, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge Europe: United Kingdom, England, Dorset, Bournemouth Europe: United Kingdom, England, Greater London, London Europe: United Kingdom, England, Kent, Folkestone Europe: United Kingdom, England, Wiltshire, Salisbury Plain Europe: United Kingdom, England, Wiltshire, Tidworth Europe: United Kingdom, Scotland, Edinburgh
Accession Number	AWM2018.785.26
Collection number	PR85/195
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	Item
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	122 Image/s captured
Maker	Parkes, Percy George Rupert
Place made	France, United Kingdom: England, United Kingdom: Scotland
Date made	1917-1918
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918
Copying Provisions	Digital format and content protected by copyright.
Source credit to	This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government.

Description

Photocopied diary relating to the First World War service of Captain Percy George Rupert Parkes, 23rd Infantry Battalion, May 1917 - May 1918.

In the third and final diary written by Percy George Rupert Parkes, the author opens at Boulogne just after commencing leave, where he remarks on hundreds of vehicles in the vicinity transporting wounded to nearby hospital ships. Upon arriving in London, he embarks on sightseeing activities and expresses feelings of agitation in response to the noise and bustle of the city given his recent experiences on the front line before departing for the quieter environs of Edinburgh.

Upon returning to France, Parkes proceeds to document a two-month period behind the front lines in the vicinity of Warloy-Baillon. He remarks on briefly taking charge of the 23rd Infantry Battalion and ongoing changes to command roles within his unit in addition to recording the training and recreational activities of the unit. During this period he also makes note of receiving recommendations for his service, related communications with commanding officers and his surprise at being awarded the Military Cross and Bar in short succession.

Parkes proceeds to England at short notice in July 1917, and subsequently documents his role training reinforcements at Rollestone Camp over a period of six months. He provides an insight into operations at Rollestone, assuming command of the training program, his impressions of camp life and his broader activities exploring the country. During this period he also discusses a horse-riding accident resulting in a month-long stint in hospital, and remarks on visiting Buckingham Palace for the investiture of his Military Cross by King George V. The remaining diary entries largely encompass his secondment to the British Army instructing cadets at Cambridge.

Please note that Parkes begins this diary on 8 May 1917, and reverts to the beginning of the diary for entries commencing in January 1918.