General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Sir William Parke (17 May 1822 – 29 March 1897) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer.

Early life

Parke was born in Marylebone, London on 17 May 1822, the son of

Charles Parke Charles Parke (10 June 1791 – 1860) was an English landowner and Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset. Life He was the son of William Parke of the Thickets, Jamaica, and his wife Eleanor Baldwin Crosse. In 1810 he was HBM Commissioner to Mexico where ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

Military career

Parke was commissioned as an

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

in the

72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders The 72nd Highlanders was a British Army Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line. Raised in 1778, it was originally numbered 78th, before being redesignated the 72nd in 1786. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 78th (Highlanders) ...

on 15 December 1840. He fought in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

and was appointed a Knight of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

in August 1856. He was also awarded the

Order of the Medjidie Order of the Medjidie ( ota, نشانِ مجیدی, August 29, 1852 – 1922) is a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I. History Instituted in 1851, the Order was awarded in fi ...

5th class. He became Brigadier-General of Field Forces in India in March 1858, Commandant, School of Military Engineering at

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830 ...

in August 1861 and colonel on the staff of South-Eastern District in October 1871. He went on to be Brigadier-General at

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

in July 1872 and General Officer Commanding South-Eastern District in October 1874.

Later life

Parke died aged 74 on 28 March 1897 at Thornhill, Stalbridge, Dorset."Obituary." Times ondon, England1 April 1897: 6. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 2 July 2016.

Family

In 1865 Parke married Anna Maria Nepean, daughter of William Nepean of the

16th Light Dragoons The 16th The Queen's Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers to form the 16th/5th Lancers in 1922. History Early war ...

and his wife Emilia Yorke. They had a son and a daughter.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parke, William 1822 births 1897 deaths Military personnel from London Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath British Army generals British Army personnel of the Crimean War British military personnel of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 People from Marylebone People educated at Eton College