PRIVATE Charles Parker, 6493, a father of six from Blackburn, was killed by a shell as he sought rest in a barn.

Writing a letter home, he was buried where he fell, along with more than 20 others from the 2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment.

Ray Parker, of Lower Darwen, has paid his respects at his great grandfather’s grave, which today stands in the Vieille Chapelle new military cemetery in Lacouture, northern France, and told us his story.

Private Parker, who lived in Oldham Street, died on March 14, 1915. He was 33 and prior to the war had been a collier at Oswaldtwistle Pit. His brother Private Jon Parker was a prisoner of war in Germany.

According to newspaper reports of the time, it appeared the battalion were resting at a farmhouse and Private Parker took advantage of the occasion to write to his wife.

His letter, which was later found and posted, stated: “You must excuse me for not writing sooner, we could not get a chance, for we have had a week of terrible fighting. I am glad to say we shifted the Germans out of the place (Neuve Chappelle); you will have read about it in the papers. Our regiment was in the thick of it and we have lost a lot of good lads.”

He then asked a friend to break the news that his chum Private Henry Connell, of Grimshaw Park, has been killed in action on March 10. The two men had worked together at the mine and, as old militia men, joined the army together when war broke out and they had remained good friends to the end.

Private Parker was about to conclude his letter when an alarm was raised and, rushing out of the building, he and 20 others were victims of a German shell, while 30 other soldiers were wounded in the explosion.

The circumstances surrounding his death were explained to Mrs Parker, by Sergeant John Nicholson, who stated: “The letter you find enclosed was the one poor Charlie was sending to you. He had just finished it when called away to do something.

“A Jack Johnson struck the building killing 25 and wounding 30; as soon as I recovered from the shock I had a look round and saw poor Charlie dead in the road. He must have been killed instantly. He was a brave and fearless soldier, always willing to do anything he was asked.

“I offer you my deepest sympathies in your sad bereavement. We buried them all just as they fell and put a small cross over the place where they lie.”

In a letter to Herbert Knowles, a friend of Charlie’s, the sergeant asked him to break the news to his wife gently, adding: “God knows how I escaped. I saw poor Charlie beyond recognition except by those who knew him well. We were all together in the early morning, Jimmy Hargreaves, Charlie and myself, having a chat about old times.

“This latest battle is absolutely murder on both sides, but we have more grit in us when it comes to rough and tumble. “We can beat them, though they are three to one. Goodnight, my nerves have gone for a time.”

The report added that in December 1914 Private Parker volunteered to run the risk of snipers on the battlefield to bring a wounded comrade named as Walmsley to hospital. He had to tramp five miles over difficult country, swamped by heavy rains and was warmly complimented by the officer on his conduct.

n Private Connell also belonged to the East Lancashire Regiment and he lived in Meadow Lane, Blackburn. During his fighting days at the front his two-year-old son succumbed to pneumonia and this upset him very much.

Private Connell was killed at Neuve Chapelle and his wife was told that his grave was alongside his friend Private Parker.