281

405316 (underlined) Flying Officer Allan Edward PARKER.
Parents (underlined) Mr. & Mrs. A.E. Parker of Motueka.

Allan Parker was born at Moteuka on 28th March, 1921 and received his secondary educaiton at the Motueka District High School. He served for two years in the Territorial Army and was employed as a cadet in the Post and Telegraph Department at Hanmer Springs when applying for enlistment in aircrew, on 25th November, 1939.

Flying Officer Parker was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 22nd December, 1940 and posted to Harewood on 9th February, 1941 for his elementary flying training.

He then proceeded on 22nd March, to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim, where he was awarded the flying badge on 5th May and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 14th June. Later, while serving in the United Kingdom, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant on 14th January, 1942 and to Warrant Officer on 1st December, 1942, commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on 7th September, 1943 and promoted to Flying Officer on the 7th March, 1944. Meantime, on 22nd July, 1941, he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Flying Officer Parker arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth late in August, and was posted to No. 13 Operational Training Unit, Bicester, Oxfordshire on 16th September for crewing up and completion of his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. He proceeded to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire on 2nd January, 1942 for a course, completing this before embarking on 21st March, on posting to No. 87 Squadron in India. With this Squadron he took part in over 120 operational flights.

Flying Officer Parker was the pilot of a Mosquito aircraft which crashed during the 20th October, 1944 in a practice bombing flight at the East Random Range, Flying Officer Parker losing his life. He was buried at Ranchi, India.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Flying Officer Parker: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21621080/allan_edward-parker

5/15/243 AS2
No log book.

Mrs. E.E. Parker (M) (right aligned)
Poole Street, (right aligned)
MOTUEKA (right aligned)