My late father was Arnold Parr, born in 1915 in Staleybridge and brought up in Bacup where he lived until WW2. He was in the RA and I believe this battery was attached to The Manchesters. His army number was 1588976. But this doesn't seem to fit with the army numbers men serving with the Manchesters used. So I'm a bit confused here as it is part of the address his brother used for correspondence with him. I'm sure my father once told me once he signed on at Ardwick, though I don't know what year.
In 1941 my father was on Orkney, he was an ordinary gunner at the time though later that year promoted to Lance-Bombardier. He was one of those on the troopship Archangel, bombed by the Germans when his unit was on their way south to Aberdeen in May 1941. This topic has been covered in previous correspondence. I think my father was injured but I never knew any details. I do recall some things he told me about the event, enough to be sure that he was on the Archangel.
Whilst he was on Orkney a storm blew down a lot of the camp. They had a Regimental Sargeant Major by the name of Johnny "Buzzer" Bee. Buzzer Bee had them all on the square and there was a severe dressing down when the latrines were blocked following the rebuilding. I've seen no reference to this clearly colourful character on this site.
However not long before my fatherhe died, nearly thirty years ago, I made a recording of some of his wartime experiences including a song which goes, "Sing high, sing low wherever you go artillery gunners they never say no....." My father also recalled "The Orkney Blast" a local newpaper for the troops and to which he may have contributed.
Finally, one of his great concerns was that people on Orkney knew of their departure and it was his belief, and that of others, that they were betrayed by Fifth Columnists.
I wonder if anyone can shed any further light upon all this and/or if this information adds to that which you already have.
Regards
Ian M Parr
