For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

 

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

 

William Liddle Parkin

 

Acting Wireless Operator 1st Class, RNCVR

 

VR-316 / OFF VR-193

 

Born: 27 Nov 1886, Winston, Durham, England

 

Died: date of passing unknown

 

PARKIN, William Liddle (Bill) - became a telegraphist with the British Post Office in 1902. Joined the wireless service in the 1912 from the British Post Office. Parkin went to eastern Canada for war duties. In 1919 to 1924 he pounded brass at Point Grey. He had developed slight deafness and as a result found copying weak signals difficult and as a result was assigned office duties on the station. Parkin resigned from the service in 1924 and worked as a wireless operator for the Powell River Company. He was appointed as the Magistrate at Powell River in 1928 and spent some 30 years on the bench. (Source: roughradio.ca / Frank Statham)

 

"Bill Parkin mentions his rather hectic return to civilization from the Port Nelson station after the freeze up in 1918.He and eight other staff members walked back" over the Hudson Bay Railway grade. They slept in caches alongside the railway grade and the journey took many days. The rails had been lifted and shipped to France for war purposes." (Credit: Jack Bowerman's personal history / Courtesy of Frank Statham)

 

Ships served in:

HMCS NIOBE - Appointed to as a Wireless Op 2c, RCNVR (seniority 01 Mar 1916) (Navy List Sep 1916)

HMCS NIOBE - Appointed to Niobe (for Duty at Port Nelson) Jun 1917 as a Wireless Op. 2c, RCNVR (Navy List Dec 1917). Appointed to A/Wireless Op. 1c 15 Dec 1917) (Navy List Dec 1917).  William Parkin was listed at Port Hope in the Navy lists through to May 1919 after which he no longer appeared in the Navy Lists.

 

William Parking (with arrow pointing to him) - c1923

Courtesy of Frank Statham

 

William Parkin

Photo credit: W.J. Bowerman Collection

Mr. Ian Haynes, Victoria, BC Collection Owner / Curator

Courtesy of Frank Statham

 


 

Crossed the Bar Index

 

HOME PAGE     SHIP INDEX      CONTACT