Hon. Lieutenant James Alexander Park, Otago Hussars
9/1086 Douglas Mungall Park, Otago Mounted Rifles / Pioneer Battalion, NZEF
Father and Son Group / Vols and WW1 Casualty
The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Medal and Long and Efficient Service Medal pair awarded to James Alexander Park of the Otago Hussars together with the British War and Victory Medals issued his late son, 9/1086 Douglas Mungall Park who was killed in action on the Somme, 15th September 1916.
James Alexander Park was born 5th March 1854 in Scotland, son of John Brown and Christina Park (née Alexander). The family soon emigrated to Australia before coming to New Zealand, where they settled in Dunedin. James was educated at Otago Boys' High School before going to the auctioneering business. James enrolled in B Battery, NZ Artillery Vounteers in 1875, serving until 1878. He saw further service from 1882 with the Southland Hussars before transferring to the Otago Hussars in 1883 where he rose to the rank of sergeant-major. In September 1898 he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the Otago Battalion, Mounted Rifles. He served in this capacity until resigning in 1904. He was awarded the NZ Long and Efficient Service Medal in 1899 but it was not until 1924 that he claimed the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Medal for which he had qualified some twenty years earlier.
James Park married Margaret Dunbar Ross in 1880 and had a large family of twelve - ten girls and two boys, one of whom was killed in the First World War.
Douglas Mungall Park was born 2nd September 1891 at Dunedin, New Zealand. Son of James Alexander and Margaret Dunbar Park (née Ross). He was educated at Otago Boys' High School before taking up farming near Kelso. He enlisted for service in 1915 and embarked with the 5th Reinforcements, Otago Mounted Rifles. After serving in Egypt from August until November 1915, he embarked for Gallipoli, where he remained until the evacuation. In March 1916 he transferred to the Maori Pioneer Battalion, and embarked for France. He was promoted to sergeant on 3rd September 1916, but just 12 days later, on 15th September 1916, Douglas Park was killed in action. He is buried Thistle Dump Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval.
All medals correctly named. LESM engraved HONY. LIEUT. JAS. A. PARK. OTAGO BATTALION MTD. RIFLE VOLS (1899), CAM impressed LT. J. A. PARK. LATE 1ST N.Z.M.R. (O.H.), British War and Victory Medal impressed 9/1086 SJT. D.M. PARK N.Z.E.F.