Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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17565   Private John Parke
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 01/05/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 29/01/1898
Died: 09/09/1916 (Died of Wounds)
Age: 18
Summary      
John Park was the son of James Wilson Park and Jane Park. John Park was born on 11th January 1898 in Orritor, Cookstown. They were a large farming family. Before the war John was employed by the Midland Railway Company in Moneymore as a clerk. John Park enlisted in Cookstown, joining the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Private John Park fought at the Battle of the Somme and ‘escaped without a wound.’ He was then moved to Belgium. On 8th September 1916 Private Park suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his back and abdomen and was so severely wounded that there was no hope of his recovery from the very start and he died the following day. He was just 18 years old.
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 John Parke
Cemetery Details
Cemetery: Bailleul Communal Cemetery Ext (Nord)
  Bailleul, Nord, 4
Grave Ref: Grave 2-F-210
CWGC Casualty 201019
Summary      
Bailleul is a large town in France, near the Belgian border, 14 kilometres south-west of Ypres and on the main road from St. Omer to Lille. From the Grand Place, take the Ypres road and 400 metres along this road is a sign indicating the direction of the cemetery. Turn right into a small road and follow for approximately 400 metres. The cemetery is on the right and the Communal Cemetery Extension is at the bottom end. A number of Casualty Clearing Stations were situated here during the war and the resulting cemetery is a large one.
portrait
Local Memorial Details

No Memorial Name Townland
1 Cookstown Cenotaph WWI - West Panel 1927 Cookstown
2 Cookstown Cenotaph WWI - West Panel 2018 Cookstown
3 Orritor Presbyterian Church World War I Roll of Honour Cookstown
Local Institute / Local Book Details

No Name Page
1 Cookstown War Dead Book WW1 174
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Park family 1901 census lists John as age 3 living with the family at house 15 in Tullycall, Oritor, Tyrone
2 1911 Census lists Park family 1911 census lists John as age 13 living with the family at house 4 in Craigs, Oritor, Tyrone
3 National Archives of Ireland Last Will and Testament of Private John Parke
4 National Archives UK Medal card can be purchased here
5 Private Patrick Monaghan From the Loup, died the same day, buried in same cemetery
6 Sgt William T Mitchell From Coagh, another of the three men from the battalion lost that day
7 Trunk Calls Blog Photo of a Casualty Clearing Station at Outtersteene, West of Bailleul in 1916.
8 War Graves Photographic Project Photo of Private John Parke's grave can be purchased here
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023