Remembering Tom Parker When we go to Falmouth Cemetery on Sunday afternoon to remember Able Seaman Bill Savage, VC, and Leading Motor Mechanic Tom Parker, few of us will know anything about Tom Parker, but for the Reverend Arnold Simister, who will conduct the Service, Tom has a special place in his prayers. Arnold was a corporal in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving with No. 2 Commando. In a recent letter he wrote about Tom, and he has given us permission to publish what he wrote: “I shall certainly go to the Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. I shall never forget Able Seaman Tom Parker - Motor Mechanic. As you are aware, 17 MLs reached St. Nazaire, and only 4 left, and one was soon blown up because it stopped to rescue badly wounded and burnt men in the River. Captain Barling was 2 Commando M.O., but for the Raid we were reinforced by Captain Paton and Captain McWilliam, both of whom I knew well because they had previously done 2 Commando locum duties when Captain Barling was either on leave or away on a Course. My ML Skipper was Torn Boyd, and when we left our ML was laden with walking wounded. I think the M.O.s had carefully kept the very serious cases for themselves and left me with the others - certainly not Tom Parker. However, Tom Boyd could’nt stop to rescue the men in the River - but he did slow down and zigzag which enabled us to grab hold of several - possibly about eight. We flung ropes and a scrambling net over the side and hauled them up. Their MLs had blown up, and their burns were terrible - Tom must have been amongst those. The Skipper and I were shocked and he asked me what I could do. He told me we had plenty of water, and I told him I had ample morphine which could reduce pain, and therefore shock, but I feared they might die of dehydration without constant oral fluid intake. He instructed the crew to assist me in this vital task. Just as we left the Loire for the Bay of Biscay we were attacked by a German plane which shattered our ML’s steering. The MLs had Bren guns mounted and the gunners from one of the other boats shot it down - at least it disappeared with smoke coming from its tail. However, that considerably lengthened our return journey. Tom Boyd regularly asked about the casualties and once told me he thought, if fuel lasted, we might reach the West Coast of Ireland. However, soon after that he sighted the Lizard and got to Falmouth. In his youth, he told me, he had once hit the Lizard - something he was never allowed to-forget. Parker was different to the others in that morphine seemed to have little or no effect - he remained wide awake and was always asking me where we were and how long it would take to get back. Like the others he was lying on the deck - and I did’nt think he could do otherwise. The last time he asked me I told him he was about to enter Falmouth Harbour whereupon he amazed me by sitting up straight, saying “Thank God”, and then he collapsed into my arms and was dead. Just another few minutes and he might have been saved. I have never forgotten the incident, and only wish I could have done a bit more for him. That is why I shall never forget him.” St Nazaire Society Newsletter March 1998 Back