Captain Uvedale Edward PARRY-OKEDEN, MC MiD CC
Part C
by Robert Simpson
Both radar towers at Toorbul. Photo taken in 1944 (from Elizabeth Parry-Okeden).
In the 1949 and 1954 electoral rolls, Elizabeth was living at “The Chalet” in D’Agular in the Moreton Shire and was doing home duties. Uvedale was a show horse judge at places like Gayndah, Mundubbera and Maryborough in 1947. He also judged in NSW. According to a newspaper article, in 1951, Uvedale was awarded a Commonwealth Jubilee medal as a veteran of sport representing Queensland pioneer horsemen. He had been nominated under Rodeo (as a sporting organisation) and was one of 28 awarded a bronze medallion. In the 1958 and 1959 electoral rolls, they were living at 8 Mowbray Terrace, East Brisbane and Uvedale had no occupation listed. Elizabeth was living with them then and was a dental nurse. They had moved there in 1951.
Mrs Elizabeth Gertrude Parry-Okeden, sons William Nugent Parry-Okeden, U E Parry-Okeden and his daughter Betty Parry-Okeden
Uvedale Edward Parry-Okeden passed away on 5th July 1961 in Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane and is buried in Section 4-74 of Balmoral Cemetery in Morningside. He was buried on 7th July 1961 in the same grave with his parents. A newspaper article on his death noted he “Packed into an eventful life, he was in turn a jackeroo, station manager, soldier, traveller, lecturer, show-ring official and a prolific writer.” It also said that after WW1 he travelled to Alaska and Mexico.
In the 1963 electoral roll, Auburn was living with Elizabeth at 59 Flower Street in Nundah. Elizabeth was still a dental nurse. Auburn died on 28th December 1964 and was cremated with her ashes placed in a wall at Mt Thompson Crematorium in Columbarium 9, Section 12. The plaque reads “Sacred to the memory of my beloved mother May Parry-Okeden 28-12-1964”. Elizabeth continued to live in Nundah and work as a dental nurse as recorded up to the 1980 electoral roll. She passed away on 12th August 2012 in Brisbane. Her funeral was held at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Kangaroo Point.
With his family-
Rosalie Gertrude Parry-Okeden was born in 1875 in Queensland. She married Harrison Richard Pockley on 12th November 1902 in Queensland. Harrison was the brother of Francis Antill Pockley, whose son was Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley, who was killed at Kokopo in Papua New Guinea on 11th September 1914 as part of the ANMEF. He was the first Australian officer killed in the war. Harry was a grazier and they lived in New South Wales in 1903-4 before moving near Roma. By 1919, she had moved to Brisbane, but Harrison was still at Roma. He moved back to Brisbane in 1926 and passed away on 19th August 1926. He is buried in the Parry-Okeden family grave. Rosalie went to England a few years later, stayed there for a while and then travelled around. It seems she based herself in England and travelled to other countries until January 1950, when she returned to Queensland. She passed away on 11th December 1950 and is buried in the family plot. One of her daughters, Elizabeth Rosalie, born in 1909, married George Humphrey Middleton. He was knighted in the 1958 Queen’s New Year Honour List for his services. George was a British diplomat and they were caught up in the beginnings of WW2. They were in Poland when Germany invaded in 1939. Elizabeth was also an author and had a love of travel.
William Stuart Parry-Okeden was born in 1877 and died in 1878.
Charles Fitzmaurice Parry-Okeden was born in Queensland on 25th July 1878. He married Vera Louise Nugent-Doyle on 27th December 1909 in Queensland. They had three boys, William Nugent Fitzmaurice (1910-1982), Charles David (1913-1945) and John Fitzmaurice. John was born in 1914 in Queensland, but died on 9th December 1918. Charles served in WW2 in the RAAF as Flight Lieutenant 404485 with 24th Squadron, but was killed in an aircraft accident (Liberator A72-80) on 23rd March 1945. The plane would not gain altitude after taking off and crashed into the ocean 20 minutes later, in Vansittart Bay off the Western Australia coast. All aboard were lost. He is remembered at the Adelaide River War Cemetery in the Northern Territory. William was a grazier and stock and station agent. He attested with the 2/9 Battalion on 2nd December 1939 as Lieutenant QX6077. As a Temporary Major on 22nd December 1943, he took command of the Battalion after the CO was killed and lead attacks which were successful and of tactical advantage against the Japanese. For this he was made Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. He was also Mentioned in Despatches. William was discharged on 19th December 1945 as a Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1960, he was appointed as the director of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. He revitalised the Easter Show. In 1974, he was appointed OBE for his services to the society.
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Mr W N Parry Okeden, who succeeded Lt General Sir Frank Berryman as director of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW on May 17, 1961 © Copyright National Archives of Australia 2017 |
Hilda Beatrice Parry-Okeden was born in 1880 in Queensland. In 1903 she was living with her parents. Nothing is known after that.
Evelyn Constance was born in 1882 in Queensland. Not much else is known about her. In 1936 she travelled to the USA and England and in 1958 she was living in Redcliffe with her parents.
Violet Vivian Parry-Okeden was born in 1883 in Queensland. She married Charles Dudley Persse on 2nd October 1907 in Queensland and died on 20th February 1952 and was buried in Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery. Her husband was a grazier.
Herbert David Parry-Okeden was born on 1st April 1889 (or 1890 on another service record) in Queensland. He served in WW1 as Driver 672 in the 2nd Light Horse Brigade Headquarters. He was promoted and was commissioned in 1916. He then transferred to the RFC and was promoted to Captain in 1917. After being wounded, he was sent home. Herbert married Hilda Mary Webster in 1920 in Queensland. He also served in WW2 as Lieutenant 250193 in 3 Initial Training School. Herbert died in 1950 and is buried in Springvale Botanical Cemetery in Victoria.
Uvedale’s medals are Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War medal and Victory Medal with oak leaf.
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His Military Cross and Gallipoli Medallion are at the Brisbane Grammar School. One of the School’s most valuable treasures is the four-volume Golden Book. It lists the names and records of the 1020 Old Boys who volunteered for service in the Great War. The record for him reads “Parry-Okeden, Uvedale Edward. Born at Charleville July 27th 1874. Attended B.G.S. April 1889 to December 1891. Occupation – Station Manager – Lieutenant in R.A.G.A. Enlisted – Sydney, September 1914 – 4th Battalion, Lieutenant. Left Australia December 22nd 1914 – appointed O.C. Ammunition of A.H.F.A.C. Egypt February 1915. Promoted Captain June 1915 on Gallipoli. Awarded M.C. November 1915 and twice mentioned in despatches for services on Gallipoli. Casualty – broken arm, dislocated shoulder. Returned to Australia and discharged M.U. 1916. Re-enlisted in Sydney as private – promoted sergeant first day in camp – returned to England as W.O. 1918. Attended Officers’ School Tidworth and passed with honours 1918.” The reverse of the Military Cross is engraved in small writing “CAPT. U. E. PARRY-OKEDEN 1st D. A. Park A.I.F.” He was the third Queenslander to receive a MC for Gallipoli.
He also left a set of photos and articles which had been put together in an album, showing pictures of him from the late 1800’s up until the end of WW1, and then various newspaper or magazine articles involving the family. His first picture is with his father and brothers in 1895, then as a Lieutenant in the Permanent Artillery in Brisbane in 1896. In WW1, there are photos of them at camp in Victoria, departure on the T.S. Ceramic, in Egypt, on Gallipoli, and back at Egypt in 1916. There are also a couple of photos after he re-enlisted.
An article in Honk!, the magazine printed and published by the Australian Divisional Ammunition Park, Motor Transport; of 20th November 1915 read “The Official Honours lists, recently published in the daily papers, contained the glad news that Captain U.E. Parry-Okeden, the Australian Ammunitions Park’s Artillery Officer, from whom we so regretfully parted in Egypt, has won the Military Cross. And everybody was happy. On behalf of the Sections of the A.D.A.P. in France, “Honk!” extends the proud hand of congratulation and good-cheer. May you live many happy years to wear it, Captain! And may it carry with it Good Luck and a brilliant future.” The paper was also titled “The Voice of the Benzene Lancers.” Honk had begun on the Ceramic on the trip over and continued on Gallipoli, where it supplied the basic trench paper requirements of verse, furphies and humour as well as AIF and sporting news and also practical articles such as how to purify water.
A couple of the photos show his dugout on Plugge’s Plateau and another which says “My office – Mule Gully – a shell burst in the doorway & killed Sgt Logan & Cpl Guthrie. I had just gone across the gully.”
Uvedale has more records at National Archives in Brisbane which are either not online or examined:- M37452 (1916-1961), C37452 PART 1 (1919-1961) and C37452 PART 2 (1947-1961), all headed PARRY-OKEDEN, Uvedale Edward – Service Number – 58618.
With thanks to Dr Richard Walding for use of pictures and points from the article- http://indicatorloops.com/toorbul_po.htm