By Paul Harding, Discovery History

Located in the Worcestershire Soldier Galleries of the City Museum and Art Gallery is a fantastic collection of items donated to the Worcestershire Yeomanry Museum.

The items are very poignant and belonged to Jack Parson MC.

Jack was born in Oxford in 1890 and originally joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry in 1909.

During the First World War he saw service in Gallipoli and in 1916 was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Yeomanry.

At this time the Yeomanry was part of the 5th Mounted Brigade of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.

This theatre of the Great War was often seen as a side show to the fighting on the Western Front. Jack was present at the Battles of Romani and Gaza. Before the Battle of Gaza in 1917, Jack led two patrols through the enemy lines to cut telegraph and telephone lines.

The Ottomans would therefore be forced to use basic wireless transmissions, which could be intercepted and read.

Jack’s patrol was eventually attacked, leaving his friend Lt Harvey to cut the cables. One small piece of cable was turned into a tie-pin and gifted to Jack. This is part of the collection on display. Jack Parson would see further service at Beersheba and Ras El Nag in the Autumn of 1917.

On November 8, five Troops of the Worcestershire Yeomanry and Warwickshire Yeomanry and their supporting Infantry came across enemy Artillery at Huj.

As they attacked the guns, many horses and men fell. Jack described the action: “As we flashed past the guns I put my sword into my left hand and drew my revolver and loosed six rounds into the crowd of Turks and Austrians crowded under the last gun in the line.

“We then headed for a crowd of resisting Turks and again charged them at sword point … At this point my horse – a dear creature called Brownie – was shot dead and landed me on my back in a crowd of Turks.

“I immediately stood up, sword in hand, and started to back away from the Turkish infantry when one of the Turks stopped and looked at me and slowly started to put his rifle to his shoulder to shoot me (we were only a few yards apart, this Turk and I, in a crowd of Turks.)

“I instinctively grabbed my revolver and pointed it at the Turk who immediately dropped his rifle and put up his hands and joined his retreating friends. (The whole point is that there was no bullets in the revolver).”

In A Squadron, only Lieutenant Parsons and Trooper J. Williams were still standing, the rest had been killed or wounded.

Jack would receive the Military Cross for his actions at Huj and he saw further action at Balin and in the cold Judean Mountains.

Jack eventually transferred to the 31st Duke of Connaught’s Lancers and also the 7th Hariana Lancers at the end of the war.

In 1923 Jack left the Army and returned to Warwickshire to play Cricket professionally. His memories of the Great War and in particular his service near Jerusalem, led to him being Ordained and becoming a Curate in Rugby.

In 1940 Jack joined the Army again as a Padre and saw service in North Africa in 1943 and later Italy.

After his ‘Second World War,’ Jack took up clerical duties again and in 1946 took his Yeomanry sword and an Ottoman sword captured at Huj to a local Blacksmith. He had been inspired by Micah Chapter 4 Verse 3 – “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

This Ploughshare was used to plough a small plot of land to grow his own wheat to make Communion Bread.

On Remembrance Day many years ago he spoke to the BBC, and said “I am aware that swords may sound pre-historic but there is no difference in principle with a 16” gun, a 2,000 pounder or even an atomic bomb. They are all there for the same purpose – to destroy human life. Swords and ploughshares are symbols of the powers between which man is free to choose. The one will eventually lead to his ultimate downfall while the other will enable him to have life.”

The Ploughshare and medals of Jack Parson MC are on display and are precious to the museum. Canon Jack Parsons MC became the vicar in Birlingham, near Pershore in 1959 and he died in 1981 in Plymouth.

As we start the New Year, do visit the museum and track down his collection.

You can also support the Museum by becoming a Friend of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Museum. Please visit their Facebook Page - The Friends of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Museum.