70th ANNIVERSARY of the ACTION at GABA TEPE,GALLIPOLI: L/Cpl WR.PARKERS VC

Royal Marine Light Infantry

MAY 1st 1915

70th Anniversary Of The Action at GABA TEPE, Gallipoli. Lance Corporal Parker's (RMLI) V.C.

On April 28th 1915 the Portsmouth Battalion of the RN Division landed at Anzac Cove to relieve an Australian brigade occupying a line of trenches less than 2 feet deep, the Turkish trenches being only 50 yards away. On April 30th the Portsmouth Battalion received a message asking for ammunition, water and medical stores to be sent to an isolated trench position at Maclaurin's Hill. Several men had been killed or wounded attempting to reach the position only approachable across a space 400 yards wide which was covered by Turkish machine gun and rifle fire. Volunteers were called for, and Lance Corporal WR Parker, Royal Marine Light Infantry was among those who volunteered.

Although Parker himself reckoned the mission was hopeless, he wnet on; it was already broad daylight and when Parker and his party came out from the trenches into the open space, one man was wounded at once. Parker organised the stretcher party for him, and eventually reached the trench alone, the other water and ammunition carriers having been killed or. wounded. He then gave first aid to the wounded in the trench, remaining cool and collected according to his citation for the V.C., in very trying circum- stances. The position was eventually evacuated, and Parker helped to move the wounded, although he had been seriously wounded himself while crossing to the trench.

The ship shown is HMS Queen Elizabeth, the flagship of the attacking forces, at Gallipoli.