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Bedworth veteran Frank Parsons - the old soldier who ensured those who gave their lives
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Bedworth veteran Frank Parsons - the old soldier who ensured those who gave their lives
Bedworth veteran Frank Parsons - the old soldier who ensured those who gave their lives in war would never be forgotten - has lost his own last battle.
The former Commando, the driving force behind Bedworths Armistice Day parade for decades, died, aged 89, at home on Saturday of cancer.
Through his efforts, Bedworth became famous for being the only town in the country to stage a parade and silence on the 11th day of the 11th month.And Frank too became nationally known for his efforts, symbolising the legacy of the bulldog spirit that saw Britain through its darkest hours.
As an ex-prisoner of war he took to heart the Remembrance motto Lest We Forget and ensured his town led the way in honouring The Fallen.
Under his leadership, there were inspired innovations such as poppy petals cascading from a Second World War Dakota aircraft as a poignant and symbolic way of honouring the heroes.
His tireless efforts were recognised in a BBC documentary after Bedworth became the only town in Britain which faithfully observed two minutes silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Frank, a bachelor, of Chamberlaine Street, took over the event in the 1960s when there was only a small band of ex-soldiers who would meet for the service. He encouraged others to get involved making it bigger and better each year.
He was invited to the Queens garden party with his sister Eva in 2004 when Bedworth was given the royal seal of approval for the parade.
Mike OBrien, former North Warwickshire MP and honorary president for the organising committee, said: Frank Parsons will be long remembered in Bedworth as the ex-marine who made such an enormous contribution to the town by building up the Armistice Day Parade.
This photograph of Frank Parsons was taken on 11th November 1993
Paul Gilroy
Coventry Telegraph Archive
Mirrorpix
Bedworth
Warwickshire
England
Media ID 21622714
© Mirrorpix
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