Ernest Graham Parsons was born on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada on 14th July 1895.

The 1901 census for Canada on Ancestry.co.uk shows that the Parsons family was living in Victoria, British Columbia. Head of the household, Henry Parsons was born in 1867. He was a native of Newfoundland, emigrating to Canada in 1889. He was a Master Mariner by trade. He and his wife Caroline who was also born in Newfoundland in 1866, emigrated two years after her husband in 1891. They had two sons, Frank age 7 born in 1893 and Ernest age 5 born in 1895.

Ten years on the 1911 census reveals that the Parsons family was still living in Victoria.  Head, Henry Parsons was still in the same trade and their first born son Frank was a Carpenter by trade. Ernest G Parsons 14, was at school.

Graham Parsons’s army records tell us that he was was drafted into the Canadian Army on 15th November 1917 in Vancouver. His medical form dated 7th January 1918 described him as,  5ft 6ins tall with a medium complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. he had two distinguishing features. There was a long scar on top of his head and a small mole on the side of his neck. His address was Ivy House, 1212 Granville St. Vancouver, B.C.  He named as his next of kin  Caroline Parsons (mother) of 1400 Pembroke St. Victoria, B.C. Graham was of single status His religion was Methodist and his trade was ‘Seaman’.

After basic training in Canada, Graham embarked for England aboard the S.S. Durham Castle arriving on 25th September 1918 when he was posted to Seaford Army Camp to complete his training. As hostilities were coming to an end he was transferred to Kinmel Army Camp in Rhyl on 9th October 1918 to await repatriation to Canada. Tragically Ernest Graham Parsons contracted Bronchial Pneumonia and was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital on 21st October 1918 where his condition deteriorated and he died on 26th October 1918.

(From Library of Canada Archives)

Unfortunately the conditions at Kinmel Camp at that time were extremely harsh with a lack of every kind of commodity, the camp was overcrowded and the services were poor. There were shortages of clothing, food and blankets. As a result of this situation, a vast number of servicemen and women became ill and many succumbed to the Influenza Epidemic or complications associated with this infection.

Ernest Graham Parsons is buried in St. Margaret’s Cemetery, Bodelwyddan.

He is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.