Captain Alfred Denis Parsons, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, was awarded the Military Cross. Captain A.D. Parsons is a medical officer attached to the Buffs. Throughout a period of almost continuous action, from early August, 1942, to March, 1943, the personal bravery and determined initiative of this officer have been responsible for the saving of a great many lives. On every occasion he was to be found at the spot where casualties were most likely to occur and it is due to his complete disregard of danger, the calm skill and speed of his work, and his devotion to duty under fire that so many men owe their lives. The following are but a few examples of his consistent behaviour. On the morning of October 24th, 1943, he was with a company of Buffs behind the Miteiriya Ridge in a position which had just been captured by New Zealand battalions. A number of the New Zealanders had been lying for most of the night with severe wounds almost untreated. Under continuous shell and mortar fire, Captain Parsons collected about a dozen severely wounded men from an area exposed to direct small-arms fire in the middle of a minefield. He would not have failed in his duty had he devoted himself to casualties nearer at hand and less exposed to fire. Throughout the twelve days of the Alamein battle he repeatedly recovered wounded men from forward slopes under fire, who must otherwise have lost their lives. On January 19th, south of Tarhuna under heavy shellfire, a General was severely wounded. Captain Parsons at the time was characteristically returning in his jeep with a badly wounded man from the most shelled area, but on being informed he put the man in an ambulance and under continued fire went to the General, and there is little doubt that his calm skill saved a valuable life. Again on the morning of January 22nd, in the Tarhuna pass at a time when four men had just been killed by close-range heavy mortar fire, after dressing several wounds Captain Parsons crawled out on to a forward slope under direct fire to rescue a man believed to be alive. West of Zavia on January 25th, 1943, his work under very heavy shelling while others were taking cover again saved several lives. It is in fact not possible to speak too highly of the sustained and unselfish courage of this officer in saving life throughout eight months of nearly continuous periods of action. Captain Parsons was born in Athlone, and his home is in Greystones, Co. Wicklow. See this thread for ref: Volunteers from Eire who have won distinctions ... :irishflag[1]:
