PARSONS, Harvey Charles
NAME PARSONS Harvey Charles
RANK Private 12026 I Canadian Corps - 1st Canadian Infantry Division - 1st Infantry Brigade
REGIMENT Royal Canadian Regiment
“for country”
Royal Canadian Infantry Corp Residence London - Ontario Born September 2, 1922 - Bayfield - Township of Stanley - County of Huron - Ontario Died September 6, 1944 22 years
Cemetery Coriano Ridge War Cemetery - Coriano – Coriano - Forli - Italy
I D 5
Aunt Mrs. Mary Stire - London - Ontario.
Harvey was born in Bayfield on September 2, 1922. He enjoyed reading all types of books, and playing
hockey, soccer and baseball while he grew up. Harvey apparently took his schooling in Varna. He was raised by his step uncle Mr. Harvery Coultis in Varna until he was 16 years. After his schooling he was employed as a mechanic for $17.00 per week at Willy's Sales and Service in Goderich. He moved to London in the spring of 1941 at the age of 16 and worked at Middlesex Auto Wreckers. It is believed he would have attended St Andrews United Church in Bayfield.
Canada
He went to London on January 7, 1942 and enlisted into the Canadian Army with the rank of Private. At the time of his enlistment he stood 6' tall and he weighed 139 pounds. He had a dark complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. He was then sent to No. 1 Manning Depot in London and attached to the Perth Regiment. On February 6 he was posted to Kitchener to No. 10 Basic Training Centre. The next posting on April 8 was to No. 10 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Borden. On September 15 he qualified as a Class III driver. On August 8, 1943 he was posted to No. 1 Transit Camp at Windsor - Nova Scotia. He was there until September 13, 1943 when he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and the following day he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. On September 19 she embarked in the United Kingdom and then it was to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. Between January 2 - 10, 1944 he went to school and he qualified as a driver I/C. Then on February 17 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom and the next day was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. On March 3 he disembarked in Italy and that same day was Taken on Service with the Reinforcement Pool. On September 1 he was Taken on Strength with the Royal Canadian Regiment. Private Parsons lost his life in the fight for the Gothic Line which ran across Italy from Pesaro to south of
Spezia.
This attack began on August 30th and the RCR entered the battle on September 2nd. Private Parsons joined his Regiment the day before the Regiment joined the entered the line. By this time the main Gothic defences had been pierced, but the RCR met extreme opposition with the result being 155 casualties in only four days. On September 5th, the RCR failed to take San Lorenzo. The 1st Infantry Brigade was halted at the Melo and by this time they had suffered 300+ casualties. With these losses the Canadian flank and left rear were now exposed and the whole offensive stalled and the weather was becoming rainy.
The Germans were maintaining their heavy and very accurate fire resulting in more RCR losses causing
leading elements of the Regiment to dig in. On the morning of September 7th “A & B” Companies moved
forward with “A” at only 2/3 strength with “C & D” Companies following. They advanced to within 150
yards of their objective. Now “A” was under heavy enemy machine gun fire. They had charged up a slope
with fixed bayonets and became pinned down by four enemy machine gun positions. Now “A” Company
was down to just eighteen men. They were exhausted from the previous three days of bitter fighting. They
were also up against the German 1st Parachute Division.
Heavy casualties were suffered by the Regiment and even under those conditions they continued their
advance and were now within 35 yards of their objective; and “A” was down to 50% strength and enemy
fire was withering and coming at them from three sides. They lost their CO but still they advanced. The
fighting was bloody, bitter, and close and now out of 30 men there were 8 left. During the night of the 6/7 those 8 men escaped back to their own lines. As what was left of “A” Company joined up with "D' Company leaving the Regiment with 3 Companies – “B, C, D” - to carry on. Then during the night of September 6th, 31 men were killed, 105 were wounded and 16 were missing.
The German intention was that between the front lines and Rimini their obstacles would be exploited to the
utmost. Four miles inland from Riccione the low Passano-Coriano Ridge covered to Mariano crossing and it
was here that the Germans had concentrated. If they were pushed off here they would retreat to other high
ground. The hamlets in this area had been transformed into formidable fortress positions. And high above
all of this stood a flat - topped area that commanded the approaches to the objective. During the night of September 6th, the Canadians were able to move into Riccione.
In September of 1945 his aunt Mary received the Memorial Cross. Then in May of 1950 she received the medals that had been awarded to Private Parsons which included the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the War Medal along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal; with clasp.
Harvey is honoured and remembered on the Varna Cenotaph and quite possibly on the Memorial Plaque of St Andrews United Church. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.
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