Douglas Windsor Parkin
From Our Contribution
 | |
 King's Park memorial | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 3 Aug 1917 |
| Place of Birth | Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Death | 16 Jun 1945 |
| Place of Death | New Guinea |
| Age at Enlistment | 22 years, 2 months |
| Occupation | Bakers carter |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Holden road, Roleystone, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr A Parkin |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | WX949 |
| Date of Enlistment | 11 Nov 1939 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit/Formation | 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion |
| Military Movement | |
| 1st Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 20 Apr 1940 ‒ 18 Jun 1940 |
| Transport Details | HMT Y3 Nevasa Fremantle to Kantara |
| Transfers | |
| Journey Dates | 7 Apr 1942 ‒ 9 Apr 1942 |
| Transport Details | unknown Alexandria to Greece |
| Journey Dates | 27 Apr 1941 ‒ 27 Apr 1941 |
| Transport Details | SS Costa Rica Kalamata, Greece to Suda Bay, Crete |
| Journey Dates | 14 May 1941 ‒ 17 May 1941 |
| Transport Details | SS Lossiebank Suda Baym, Crete to Port Said, Egypt |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 12 Mar 19342 ‒ 18 Apr 1942 |
| Transport Details | USS West Point (AP-23) Port Tewfik to Adelaide |
| 2nd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 4 Dec 1944 ‒ 10 Dec 1944 |
| Transport Details | USAT Evangaline Cairns to Aitape, New Guinea |
| Post War Details | |
| Fate | Killed in action |
| Monument(s) |
Kelmscott War Memorial Roleystone Roll of Honour WA State War Memorial |
| Australian War Memorial | Australian War Memorial |
| Medals |
1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 Greek Commemorative War Medal 1940-41 |
Pre War
Douglas Windsor Parkin was born at Fremantle in 1917, the son of Arthur and Margaret Parkin of Palmyra and Roleystone. Altogether there were eight sons and two daughters in the family and all the brothers except one, who was in the police force, enlisted in either the army or the air force between November 1939 and January 1942. Douglas attended Roleystone school and enjoyed playing cricket and football. After leaving school, Douglas worked at home and on several orchards in the area and later worked as a bakery cart driver.
War Service
Douglas enlisted at Merredin on 11 Nov 1939 and was sent to the Northam camp as a member of the 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion until he embarked in Fremantle on an unknown ship for Sydney. During that time, on 7 Dec 1939 he was fined 5/- (50 cents) for overstaying his leave. On arrival at the Ingleburn Camp (18 Dec 1939) he was transferred to the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion's reinforcements. The battalion was raised in South Australia with companies also coming from Victoria and Tasmania. D Company was raised in Western Australia. On 10 Jan 1940 Doug had been admitted to the Newcastle Hospital with Bronchitis and severe Tonsillitis, before being released after treatment on 16 Jan 1940.
Doug enjoyed pre-embarkation leave back in Western Australia before reporting to the Melville Camp on 2 Apr 1940. On 20 Apr 1940 the 2/11th Battalion boarded HMAT Y3 Nevasa, a part of Convoy US 2, in Fremantle for the Middle East via Colombo, disembarking at El Katara on 18 May 1940. On 17 Jun 1940 at Kilo 89 Doug was formally transferred to the 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion, detached for duty to HQ 19th Australian Infantry Brigade. On 7 Aug 1940 he was charged with failing to appear at a place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer. He was fined 10/- ($1). On 6 Sep 1940 he was charged with Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, and this time his fine was £1 ($2). He was then detached for Special Duties on 25 Feb 1941 before transferring back to the 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion on 11 Mar 1941. Doug was AWOL from 6:ooam on 29 March until 10:00pm on 30 Mar 1941 for which he was fined 10/-, and forfeited 2 days pay.
On 2 Apr 1941 Doug was transferred to the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion and four days later on 6 Apr 1941 Doug embarked for Greece, sailing the following day and they disembarked on 9 April before moving forward to Garania to support Greek troops. When forced to evacuate Greece the unit on 27 Apr 1941 boarded SS Costa Rica which was sunk en-route, with all of the 2,800 troops saved and landed at Suda Bay on Crete by the destroyers that had taken them from SS Costa Rica. After several days on Crete the battalion embarked on SS Lossiebank at Suda Bay on 14 May 1941 for Port Said where they disembarked on 17 May 1941 and were moved by train to Kantara, and then to Gaza in Palestine. 'D' Company, with elements of 'B' Company remained on Crete.
On 30 Aug 1941 Doug was appointed Lance Corporal, and the rebuilt battalion spent time in Syria as Garrison Troops before being recalled to Australia, boarding USS West Point (AP-23) at Port Tewfik on 12 Mar 1942. They sailed the same day for Port Adelaide where they disembarked on 31 Mar 1942. On 26 May 1942 Doug was charged with having been AWOL from 8:30am on 3 May until 10:00am on 7 May 1942. He was demoted to Private. AWOL again, this time from 9:40pm on 28 May until 4:00am on 29 May 1942. Fined 10/- ($1) and awarded 7 days CB (confined to barracks) Then on 19 Jun 1942 he was charged with Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, incurring a penalty of two days CB. On 12 Aug 1942 Doug was transferred to the 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion. He celebrated the move by being AWOL from midnight 24 Oct 1942 until 8:00am on 26 Oct 1942. He was fined £1-10- ($3), awarded 7 days CB and forfeiture of 2 days pay.
On 16 Nov 1942 Doug was appointed Lance Corporal, and this was followed on 23 May 1943 with promotion to Acting Corporal. This was confirmed on 3 Aug 1943. On 26 Oct 1943 Doug was evacuated to the 109th Australian Casualty Clearing Station for treatment of an ingrown toenail. On 5 Nov 1943 he was transferred by them to the 2/6th Australian General Hospital. Treatment concluded he was released to the 2/1st Australian Convalescent Depot on 10 November, and they released him to his battalion on 23 Nov 1943. Between 10 Jan 1944 and 18 Mar 1944 Doug attended a Medium machine Gun training course in South Australia. On 7 Sep 1944 he was promoted Sergeant.
On 4 Dec 1944 Doug and his unit embarked at Cairns on USAT Evangaline for Aitape in New Guinea where they disembarked on 10 December. On 10 Mar 1945 he was evacuated to the 2/1st Australian Field Ambulance with Dengue fever, returning to his unit on 15 Mar 1945. Sergeant Douglas Windsor Parkin, was killed in action at Mandy, New Guinea on 16 Jun 1945.He was a member of the 15 Platoon that had been sent out to ambush a known area of enemy activity, but the party was ambushed by Japanese troops. Two Japanese were KIA, with Doug KIA and two wounded on the Australian side. He was 27 years of age. Initially buried at Mandi, he was later reburied in the Wewak War Cemetery ARow B, Plot D, Grave 7 on 15 Oct 1945.
His plaque in Kings Park is placed alongside that of his older brother Private Mervyn Parkin of 2/11 Australian Infantry Battalion, and a relative killed in WW 1, Private Lionel Savage of the 44th Battalion.
Notes