Commemorative paving stone to be unveiled for first civilian to receive a VC during WWI
This article originally appeared on Culture24.
A memorial paving stone for Master Frederick Parslow, the first civilian to be awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War, is to be laid in London
The SS Anglo Californian cargo vessel© Peter Searle
Frederick Parslow, VC, Mercantile Marine, date unknown© Courtesy of Creative CommonsCarrying 927 horses due for the Western Front from Montreal to Bristol, the ship was chased for three and a half hours by the U-39 submarine before three Royal Navy ships appeared and rescued them.
Parslow, and around 30 of the men on-board the ship, had been killed by this point, but the Admiralty wanted to recognise his gallantry and awarded him the Victoria Cross; the first civilian to receive the medal for services during the war.
The ceremony is part of a centenary commemoration scheme by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to honour the recipients of the 628 Victoria Crosses given out during the First World War.
A paving stone will be unveiled at or near each individual’s birthplace 100 years to the day after the action for which they won their medal, continuing all the way to 2018.
145 stones were laid in The National Memorial Arboretum on March 5 to honour those Victoria Cross recipients who were born overseas.
Frederick Parslow was born in Islington in 1856 so his commemorative paving stone is being placed in Islington Green, Upper Street, in London.
Speaking in 2013, when the project was announced, then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “It is our duty to remember the British and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives fighting in the Great War and we are determined to make sure their bravery for King and Country is not forgotten.
“Laying paving stones to mark these Victoria Cross heroes will ensure that there is a permanent memorial to all the fallen who fought for our country."
Pickles said the paving stones would "connect communities to their shared history", and help residents "understand how their area played its part in the Great War".
Commemorative paving stone for Frederick Parslow© Courtesy of the Department for Communities and Local GovernmentWanting to also honour Archibald Smith, another Mercantile Marine captain who died in action in March 1917, the Royal Navy decided to posthumously commission them both as Lieutenants in the Royal Naval Reserve allowing them to be given the Victoria Cross in May 1919.
The Royal Warrant of 1920 changed this and meant that Mercantile Marine members could be eligible for the medal, but the Victoria Cross was never again awarded to someone from the Marine or its successor, the Merchant Navy.
From the outset of the First World War, the waters surrounding the British Isles were treacherous for ships, particularly unarmed merchant and neutral vessels, and were declared as a War Zone by Germany in February 1915.
German U-boats achieved great success until May 1917 when the convoy system was introduced by the Royal Navy, whereby battleships were sent to protect merchant boats and ensure vital supplies reached Britain.
For more information about the paving stones and commemoration ceremonies visit www.1914.org.
- The commemorative paving stone for Master Frederick Parslow will be unveiled at Islington Green, Upper Street, London on Saturday July 4 at 11am.
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