Major Keith PARBURY DSO Greek Military Cross (2nd Class)
109th Battery, Royal Field Artillery

Date of birth: 22nd August 1884
Date of death: 13th April 1964

Died aged 79
Unknown
Keith Parbury was born at Humer Tower, Bournemouth at 2am on the 22nd of August 1884 the twin son of Charles Parbury, a merchant, and Annie (nee Strachan) Parbury of 7 Lowndes Square in London.

He was educated at Hazelwood School, with his twin brother Colin, until July 1898 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1895, 1896 and was Captain in 1897. The school magazine wrote the following on his 1895 football season: - "Outside right, being much the lightest player in the Eleven thinks incessantly charging the only game worth playing. Will make a good player when he gets rid of this idea as he can centre fairly, but is a dreadfully uncertain shot."

They wrote of his 1896 football season thus: - "Inside right, did not improve so much as we'd hoped. Too slow, and does not go straight enough for the goal. A fairly good shot however."

Of his 1897 football season they wrote: - "Captain, and as far as example goes, a right good one, though hardly eloquent enough in the field. Plays inside right and is a thorough good hard worker, dribbles well, but is rather on the slow side, and does not go straight enough for goal. On his day a clinking shot, and marks his vis-a-vis well, though apt to get too far away from his outside partner."

He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1896, 1897 and 1898; the school magazine wrote the following on his 1896 season: - "Lost most of the Term owing to an injury to his hand. Has shown signs of future skill both as a bat and a bowler. Not safe, as yet, in the field."

They wrote the following on his 1897 cricket season: - "A painstaking batsman, though very difficult to get out of his tricks; came on wonderfully the last month, and his average shows him fit to be ranked as a high class boy bat. Slow, and not safe in the field. His bowling has not come up to our hopes of last year."

They wrote of his 1898 cricket season: - "His figures speak for themselves. No more deserving player ever handled the willow, as it was by sheer hard attentive practice that he played himself into the front rank. Weak on the leg side at present, but otherwise combines good all round hitting with inexhaustible patience and careful watching of the ball. Slow in the field, but can bowl a bit."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him and his twin brother: - "K. and C. Parbury go to Marlborough, this being the second brace of twins who have done excellent service to the school in both Elevens, besides which the pair we are now losing have been for some time the first to win the school. The elder has been for two years one of the best of forwards, the younger, of half backs, in the football elevens, and the former has the enviable distinction of having made the highest score and he highest average in the cricket records of the school."

He went on to Marlborough College where he was in Summerfield House from September 1898 to December 1901.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 21st of December 1904 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 21st of December 1907. In 1911 he won the Gold Cup at the Royal Artillery races on his own horse, "Ruby Light", and won the Royal Artillery Light Weight race on "El Chico". He was promoted to Captain on the 30th of October 1914 and to Temporary Major on the 1st of November 1916. He was posted to Salonica where he was promoted to Acting Major while in command of a Battery on the 25th of December 1916 and took command of a Battery of 110 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery on the 29th of December.

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours List on the 4th of June 1917 for “distinguished service in the field”. He was mentioned in General G.F. Milne’s despatches of the 8th of October 1916 and of the 29th of March 1917 for his work there. He was posted to B Battery, 54 Brigade on the 26th of September 1917. He returned to England on leave from the 8th of January to the 26th of February 1918 and returned his Battery in the field on the 6th of March 1918. He was promoted to Acting Major once again on the 25th of August 1918 and was posted to the Headquarters of 57 (Howitzer) Brigade the same day. He was promoted to Major on the 15th of November 1918. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant Colonel on the 25th of August 1918, a rank he relinquished on the 31st of December 1918. He was awarded the Greek Military Cross (2nd Class) by the King of the Hellenes on the 11th of March 1919. He was posted to 54 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery on the 12th of March 1919.

On the 6th of April 1919 he returned from Constantinople on board the cruiser HMS Katoomba, disembarking at Salonica. He embarked at Salonica to return home on the 17th of April 1919 and landed at Taranto on the 20th of April. He made his way by land to Boulogne where he embarked on the 30th of April 1919 and landed at Dover later the same day. He retired from the army to the Reserve of Officers on the 15th of August 1919 and lived at Ferney Cottage, Dursley, Gloucestershire and at 20 Connaught Square, London W2. He retired from the Reserve of Officers on the 22nd of August 1934 due to his age.

He was married at All Souls Church, Marylebone to Enid May (nee Richardson) on the 22nd of April 1931; they lived at Ferney Cottage, Stroud in Gloucestershire.
Went on to Marlborough College

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