Pte William Henry "Snip" Parsons, 163604, 621st Mechanical Transport Company, Army Service Corps, died in a Military Hospital at Cambridge on December 24th, 1916, from cerebrospinal meningitis. He was aged 36.

He had come home from France, where he was serving, to undergo an operation at Chatham, where it was reported he had contracted the fatal illness. Back in Luton, his case was considered hopeless by local doctors and he was removed to Cambridge, where he never regained consciousness.

His funeral was held with full military honours on December 28th at Luton General Cemetery, Rothesay Road. His coffin covered with a Union Jack was carried on a gun carriage and accompanied by the London R.F.A. Band.

A service was conducted at the graveside by the Rev E. Lightwood Smith. Three volleys were fired and the Last Post sounded.

As a young man William Parsons went into business in the straw hat trade in Wenlock Street and was a member of Luton Liberal Club. In July 1911 he married Lilian Gertrude Day, with whose family he had been lodging at 102 Crawley Road, Luton, in 1911. A year later they had a son, Richard, known as "Dick".