NX27147 James Charles Parsons was born on the 26 September, 1916 in Picton NSW and grew up in Bankstown NSW.
When the Second World War broke out, James enlisted into the Australian army on the 24th June 1940 and completed his training with the 20th Infantry training battalion in Wallgrove NSW. He was then posted to the 2/30th Infantry battalion AIF, a unit which was raised & trained in Tamworth NSW.
IMAGE LEFT: Colour patch of the 2/30th Infantry Battalion, AIF.
before boarding the ship ‘Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt’ for Singapore to fight the advancing Japanese. During the war James was promoted to the rank for Corporal and worked in the regimental aid post as a medic. James tended to the sick and wounded of the 2/30th battalion during intense fighting against the Japanese including major battles the 2/30th BN fought at Gemencheh, Gemas and Ayer Hitam, and on Singapore Island.
Then on the 15th February 1942 (the fall of Singapore), all Commonwealth forces were either killed or captured as Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, the British commander in Singapore, called for a ceasefire and made the difficult decision to surrender. My great uncle James spent the rest of the war as a POW; as did the whole 8th division in such camps as Changi Gaol, Thomson Road, Mount Pleasant, Caldecott Hill, Bukit Timah & River Valley Road until his release on the 13/9/1945 when he started his long trip home.
During this time, his wife Jean Agnes Parsons was left to fight her own battles – not knowing his fate. They only had less then two years of married life together before he left for war. Also on the home front, left not knowing his fate was my grandmother Eileen and his brothers Reggie and Charlie. Charlie also served at the 101st Australian general hospital in Katherine during the war and his other sister Annie and parents Catherine & Reginald (my great grandparents).
After the war ended and James returned to his Blue Mountains home in Katoomba NSW with wife Jean, life wasn’t the same. After over 3 yrs as a POW he suffered poor heath from the conditions of the POW camps. Sadly, on the 16th November 1966 my great uncle James (Jimmy) died leaving behind his loving wife and family. Jean never remarried as her love for James was still as strong as when they married. Then 31 yrs later in 1997, Jean & James were finally together again. Their final resting place is at the Katoomba Cemetery with a stunning view of the mountains.
Unfortunately, my family lost possession of the war service medals issued to NX27147 James Charles PARSONS. These war medals consist of the 1939-1945 Star, the Pacific Star, the 1939-1945 War Medal and the 1939-1945 Australia Service Medal. If anybody knows the location of these war medals – my family would be most grateful if you could please contact myself or the Medals Gone Missing website; as our family would dearly like to have them back. We enjoy a proud military background in our family and take great pride in our family members who have served this great country. I don’t have an exact date the medals were lost but think it was some time after Jean past away in 1997. Yours gratefully, Ray Grima 0402126580.
IMAGE RIGHT: The missing war medals of Corporal James Charles PARSONS, 2/30th Battalion AIF. From left to right:- 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, 1939-1945 War Medal & 1939-1945 Australia Service Medal.
