PARISH, Charles Ernest

Charles Parish was the son of Harry and Elizabeth Parish of The Hollies, Halesowen, and was a solicitor before he volunteered in August 1914 for the Warwicks. He joined the 15th (Service) Battalion, the 2nd Birmingham Pals, who were sent in December 1915 to the Western Front. After a quiet period at Arras they joined the Battle of the Somme in the middle of July at Longueval. On the evening of the 22nd they attacked Wood Lane joining High Wood with Delville Wood but made no progress in the face of heavy machine gun fire. Private Charles Parish was killed in this action. He was 38 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval and Halesowen Memorials.