249885 Pte. Arthur Clifford Parkin British Army Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from:Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury Arthur Parkin lied about his age to sign up to the 2/4th KOYLI before heading to France and Belgium in 1917 as a machine gunner.
He re-enlisted prior to breakout of the Second World War where he, again, served as a Lewis machine gunner.
Part of the British Expeditionary Force, he was deployed into France but was forced back to Dunkirk where he fought the rear guard to hold back the advancing Germans. He was on one of the last boats to leave for England.
During this time, his family had received a letter from the War Office informing them he had been killed in action. Although injured and fatigued, lived until 1951 with the rare honour of being a KOYLI who fought in both World wars.
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