Jack Harold Parfitt

Private - Service No. 5783275 - 7th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment

Jack Harold Parfitt, the son of Herbert Samuel Parfitt and his wife Blanche (Briggs), was born on the 29th October 1921 in Swardeston, Norfolk. He was the fourth of eleven children, the others being George (1912), Edith (1914), Frederick (1920), Joyce (1924), Joan (1926), Patrick (1927), Peter (1927), Daphne (1929), Margaret (1930) and Michael (1933). Most of his siblings married and produced grandchildren for Herbert and Blanche and their descendants still live locally and across the globe. Herbert fought in WW1 and his story may be found in that section of this website.

Jack served as a Private in the 7th Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and in August 1944, just 2 months after D-Day, found himself in Normandy pursuing the Germans near Villers Bocage, a few miles south-west of Caens. The events of the next fatal days are described in detail in the Royal Norfolk's war diary written by their Commanding Officer from which the following summary is derived

The retreating Germans destroyed most of a bridge, Le Pont de Brie, over the river Orne just west of Brieux to halt the British advance so on the night of 6/7th August the Royal Norfolks, together with the 6th Battalion South Staffs and the 7th Battalion North Staffs, waded across the river to establish a bridgehead on the western bank of the river to enable a bailey bridge to be built on the damaged stone bridge. The bridge was repaired and usable (see picture below) by 08.00 on the 7th August. This enabled the British to establish a presence on the west of the river and resist repeated counter attacks from the Germans over the next few days.

The Royal Norfolks suffered heavy casualties with 'A' Company, who got lost and isolated during the river crossing, virtually all killed or taken prisoner. In total the Royal Norfolk Regiment had 42 men killed, 111 wounded and 73 missing defending this bridgehead. Jack Parfitt was reported as Killed in Action on 7th August 1944 and was originally buried at Grand Aunay British Cemetery. He was reburied at Bayeux by the 24th March 1947.

A memorial was erected to commemorate the Royal Norfolk's part in this campaign by the gate of the farm "le vieux Grimbosq" just 7oo metres from the bridge.

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