Walter Parke

The son of the minor counties cricketer Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Parke and his wife, Evelyn Jane Aelfrida, he was born at Wimborne Minster.^[1][2] He was educated at Winchester College from 1905–09, where he captained the college cricket team in his final year.^[1] Additionally, he played golf for the college and was appointed a prefect.^[1] From Winchester he attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He graduated into the Durham Light Infantry as a second lieutenant in August 1911.^[3] He made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1914.^[4] Batting twice in the match as an opening batsman, he was dismissed for 11 runs by Gordon Fairbairn in the Army's first-innings, while in their second-innings he was dismissed 7 runs by the same bowler.^[5]

He served in the 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the First World War, proceeding to France in September 1914.^[1] He had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant in August 1914.^[6] He was killed while attempting to lift a machine gun over a hedge near Hazebrouck on the afternoon of 13 October 1914, while commanding the machine gun section.^[1] His initial burial site at the Vieux-Berquin crossroads was the subject of a famous photograph of two young French girls tending to his grave.^[1] His body was subsequently moved to the Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension at Bailleul.^[1]

• Walter Parke at ESPNcricinfo