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NZ404492 Sergeant Anthony Joseph William PARKER.
MOTHER: Mrs. M.J. Parker of Invercargill.

Anthony Parker was born at Dunedin on the 29th May, 1915. He received his secondary education at the Southland Boys' High School passing the Matriculation examination. he afterwards studied with the Invercargill Accountancy College and was successful in passing four subjects of the Professional Accountants examination. At school he played for the 1st XV and afterwards senior grade football for the Marist Club and tennis for St. Mary's Club. From the time of leaving school in 1935 until applying for a Reserve pilots training in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1938 he was employed by the State Forest Service at Invercargill.

Sergeant Parker commenced his flying training for war service on the 20th September, 1939 in the rank of Acting Pilot Officer at No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri. Here this was terminated and he returned to civil life on the 2nd February 1940 but again enlisted for war service on the 24th November 1940 at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, afterwards embarking on the 6th January 1941 by the "Empress of Russia" for Canada to train under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, he was posted on the 23rd January to No. 4 Air Observer School, London, Ontario and then on the 13th April to No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. Here on the 26th May he was awarded the Air Observer badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant, afterwards being posted to No. 1 Air Navigation School, Rivers, Manitoba for an astro navigation course. On the 30th June, he proceeded to No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Sergeant Parker arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 29th July, and proceeded to No. 25 Operational Training Unit, Finningley, Yorkshire on the 11th August for crewing up and completion of his training on Wellington and Hampden aircraft. On the 30th October he joined No. 106 Squadron at Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

Sergeant Parker was the Navigator of a Hampden aircraft which took off during the night of the 30th November for an attack on Hamburg, Germany. This was his first operational flight. The aircraft failed to