PARSONS, Tidal

Tidal Parsons was born in Cradley and attended Cradley C of E School. He was married and lived with his wife, Mary, who later lived in Cross Street, Lye. He enlisted in the Worcesters before 1914 as a regular soldier and was probably in the Reserve when war broke out. He was recalled and sent to the 3rd Battalion stationed at Aldershot in the British Expeditionary Force. On the 12th August they landed in France, travelled to Mons and then retreated to the Marne. When the line stabilised on the Aisne, the German attack moved to Flanders and the first battle of Ypres. The Worcesters were fully engaged in the defence of Ypres and in the winter of 1914-15 were on the southern end of the Messines ridge at Spanbroek Mill. The first British attack in this sector was at Neuve Chapelle on the 10-12th March. The 3rd Battalion put in a diversionary attack but among those killed in action was Private Tidal Parsons. He was 30 years of age and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Cradley, Halesowen and Cradley C of E School Memorials.