Douglas Windsor Parkin

Douglas Windsor Parkin

File:Parkin Douglas Windsor.jpg 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
Post War Details
Fate	Killed in action
Monument(s)	Kelmscott War Memorial
Australian War Memorial	Australian War Memorial

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 for a brief time until he embarked in Fremantle on an unknown ship for Sydney. During that time, on 7 Dec 1939 he was fioned 5/- (50 cents) for overstayuing his leave.Initially a member of the 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion, on arrival at the Ingleburn camp (18 Dec 1939) he was transfered to the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion. On 10 Jan 1940 Doug was admitted to the Newcastle Hospital with Bronchitis and severe Tonsilitis, and was then released after treatment on 16 Jan 1940.

but at some point was transferred to the 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion prior to going to New Guinea.

The battalion was raised in South Australia with companies also coming from Victoria and Tasmania. D Company was raised in Western Australia with the battalion coming together at Fremantle in April 1940 before embarking for the Middle East where they arrived at Suez in mid-May. They fought the Vichy French in Palestine and were then recalled to Australia.

During their return, they were diverted to Sumatra and Batavia where they suffered heavy losses. Some were able to return to Australia and form the nucleus of a new battalion, subsequently going into action in New Guinea. Sergeant Douglas Windsor Parkin, was killed in action at Mandy, New Guinea on 16 Jun 1945. He was 27 years of age.

Doug centre of the three Australians Photo AWM 018502

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.

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