Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Benjamin James Parsons, a street and road repairer, born 21st June 1861 in The Workhouse, Lutterworth, Leicestershire and baptised on the 14th July 1861 in St. Peter’s Church, Leire, Leicestershire (son of Anne Parsons, 1836-1900) and his wife Ellen Parsons (nee Baker, married on the 18th August 1889 in the Church of St. John the Divine, Leicester), born 1863 in Dudley, Staffordshire (daughter of Abraham Baker). James Baker was born in the April quarter of 1893 in Leicester, his siblings were, Stanley George, born 1891, Henry Arthur, born in the January quarter of 1895 and William, born in the July quarter of 1898 and baptised on the 5th June 1898 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester all his siblings were born in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at 166, Green Lane Road, St. Stephen’s, Leicester.
In April 1911 James was employed as a shoe trade finisher and was residing in the family home at 154, Green Lane Road, St. Stephen’s, Leicester, together with his father, a corporation labourer, his mother, a tailoress, and his siblings, Henry Arthur, a shoe trade laster, William, a schoolboy and Sidney, a schoolboy, born 7th February 1903, in Leicester.
James’ army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Mobilised. In Leicester. 5/8/14.
Posted. To Kings Royal Lancaster Regt. Pte.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 10927.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Kings Royal Lancaster Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 23/8/14.
Wounded in action. In the Field. Date not known.
Died of wounds. In the Field. 13/2/17.
Buried. In the Field.
Body recovered and exhumed from map reference: 62c.A.15.c.5.0 and identified by means of G.R.U.3.D.19.
Reburied in Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, Somme, France.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, James nominated his father, Benjamin as his sole legatee.
The War Diaries for this unit are missing for February and March 1915.
On Saturday June 5th 1915, The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “THE WAR.” – Mrs. Parsons, of 155, Green Lane Road, Leicester, has received official notification of the fact that her son, PTE. JAMES B. PARSONS, of the 1st Royal Lancaster Regiment, was wounded in action, and admitted to the Australian Hospital at Wimereaux on May 11th. His father and two brothers are serving with the colours.
On Tuesday February 27th, 1917, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – Official news has been received of the following casualties among Bridge-road Old Boys: - Private J. Parsons, Royal Lancashire’s, killed in action 13th February. Private Parsons had previously been wounded, and his father and two brothers are with the colours. His home was at 155, Green-lane. Pte. W. Payne, Leicester Regt., killed in action 16th February, buried at Vermelles.
On Saturday March 10th 1917, The Leicester Mercury published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR” - “LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS” - The followings local casualties are officially reported. All are Private’s except where otherwise shown: - DIED OF WOUNDS. KING’S OWN (ROYAL LANCASTER REGIMENT). - Parsons, 10927 J. (Leicester).
On Tuesday March 13th, 1917, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – Private J. Parsons, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, who died of wounds on February 13th, was an Old Boy of Bridge-road School, and his home was at 155, Green-lane, Leicester. His father and two brothers are on active service.
On Tuesday 3rd April 1917, The Leicester Mercury published the following article under the heading. “ROLL OF HONOUR” - The article also carried a photograph. - Pte. J. Parsons K.O.R. Lancaster Regiment, died of wounds, Feb 13. His home was at 155, Green Lane.
On the 30th of September 1918 James’s mother Ellen, of 155, Green Lane Road, Leicester was awarded a weekly Army Dependent’s Pension of two shillings, commensurate on the 21st August 1917, this was increased to three shillings and six pence on the 1st September 1917 and further increased to five shillings on the 6th November 1918.
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