Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Edward Parker, a domestic groom, born 1875 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire and his wife Edith Annie Parker (nee Wood, married in the 4th quarter of 1897 in the Guildford, Surrey district), born 1873 in Melton Mowbray, Charles Thomas Edward was born on the 12th January 1899 in Melton Mowbray, he had one sibling, Florence, born 1901 in Melton Mowbray, in March 1901 the family home was at 9, Wilton Terrace, Melton Mowbray. In April 1911 Charles was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 5, Cromwell Street, Melton Mowbray, together with his father a domestic groom, his mother and siblings, Florence, a schoolgirl, Hilda, born 1904 in Surrey, Gladys, born 1908 and Louisa, born 1910, the latter two siblings were both born in Melton Mowbray. His parents later moved to live at 32, South Bar, Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The background relating to the circumstances in which Charles lost his life are as follows; HMS Black Prince was modified in March 1916 as a result of lessons learned at the Battle of Coronel, with the 6-inch guns removed from their casemates and replaced by six 6-inch guns mounted individually behind shields between the beam 9.2-inch turrets. The ship participated in the Battle of Jutland, where she was sunk with heavy loss of life. The circumstances under which she sank were mysterious for some years after. As the British had lost contact and did not see the ship destroyed, they were unsure as to whether a submarine or surface ship was responsible for sinking the HMS Black Prince. During the battle, the First Cruiser Squadron was deployed as part of a screening force several miles ahead of the main force of the Grand Fleet, but HMS Black Prince lost contact with the rest of the Squadron as it came into contact with German forces, at about 5.42pm. Soon after, two other members of the First Cruiser Squadron, HMS Defence and HMS Warrior were heavily engaged by German battleships and battle cruisers, with HMS Defence blowing up and HMS Warrior receiving heavy damage, which later caused her to sink. There were no positive sightings of HMS Black Prince by the British fleet after that, although a wireless signal from her was received at 8.45pm, reporting a submarine sighting. During the night of the 31st May–1st June, the British destroyer HMS Spitfire, badly damaged after colliding with the German battleship Nassau, sighted what appeared to be a German battle cruiser, with two widely spaced funnels, described as being “a mass of fire from foremast to mainmast, on deck and between decks. Flames were issuing out of her from every corner.” The mystery ship exploded at about midnight. It was later thought that the burning ship may have been HMS Black Prince, with the two midship’s funnels having collapsed or been shot away. Recent historians, however, hold to the German account of the ship's sinking. HMS Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland at about 11.35pm GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, HMS Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship Thuringen fixed the HMS Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships Nassau, Ostfriesland and Friedrich der Grosse, joined in the bombardment, with return fire from HMS Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of the HMS Black Prince, effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. HMS Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes. There were no survivors from HMS Black Prince’s crew, all 857 being killed.
On Friday June 9th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – MELTONIAN DROWNED IN NAVAL BATTLE. Amongst the British ships sunk in the great naval battle last week was H.M.S. Black Prince, and it is officially reported that all hands have been lost. Among them was a Meltonian named Charles Parker, boy telegraphist, who was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Melton Mowbray, and his mother will perhaps be better remembered as a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wood, formerly of the Eight Bells Inn. Deceased was employed as errand boy to Mr. James Attenborrow, chemist, who recently received the following letter from him. “30 Mess, H.M.S. Black Prince, -?- G.P.O. Dear Sir, You will probably be surprised to hear that I am in the Navy. I joined a month after the war broke out, and am getting on fine. I am at present in the grand fleet, but have not seen any fighting yet. You might remember me to Miss Attenborrow and Mr. Ash, and tell them I am in the best of health. I was 17 last Wednesday, and in six months time hope to be rated as Ord Telegraphist. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain yours respectfully, Charles Parker, Boy Telegraphist”. Seaman Bowes, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bowes, 49, Rosebery-avenue, Melton Mowbray, is supposed to have been on the destroyer Ardent, which was lost in the North Sea battle with all hands but one. There is however a chance that he may be safe. His parents have not received a letter from him for several weeks, but they had heard that he had been transferred to another ship. Mr. Bowes is a married man with two children, his home being near Dorchester. A brother of Mr. T. B. Cross who recently left Melton Mowbray for Edinburgh, was lost on the Invincible.
On Friday September 15th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – FORMER MELTONIAN’S DEATH. The news has reached Melton Mowbray of the death of Charles Barker, who was one of the victims in the Jutland naval battle. Deceased belonged to the wireless telegraph section, and was killed on HMS Black Prince, which was sunk. He was a native of Melton Mowbray, being a son of Mr. and Mrs. Barker, of Banbury, who formerly lived here, Mrs. Barker being a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Woods, Eight Bells Inn, Nottingham-st. After being educated at the Melton Church Boys’ school deceased entered the employment of Mr. James Attenburrow, chemist.