Vincent Parker facts for kids

Vincent Bushy Parker (February 11, 1918 – January 29, 1946) was an Australian Royal Air Force pilot. He was known as a flying ace, meaning he shot down five or more enemy planes. He was also a prisoner of war (POW) and famous for trying to escape many times. Parker fought in World War II.

When he was two years old, his aunt and uncle adopted him. He moved to Australia with them. As a teenager, he worked at Kodak. He also learned to be a magician and an escapologist. An escapologist is someone skilled at escaping from traps.

In 1938, Parker traveled to Britain. In May 1939, he began training to be a fighter pilot. He then joined the Battle of Britain. In August 1940, his plane was damaged in a fight. He parachuted into the sea and was captured by the German Navy. As a prisoner, Parker tried to escape many times. He was sent to Colditz Castle, a high-security prison, in 1942.

After the war, in January 1946, Parker died in a plane accident. His friends from prison camps remembered him as a talented card player. He was also one of the best lock pickers at Colditz Castle. Many escape attempts used his lock-picking skills. A park in Rollingstone, Australia, is named after him.

Early Life and Adventures

Vincent Parker was born in Chester-le-Street, England, on February 11, 1918. He had two brothers. His mother died when he was young. In 1920, his aunt and uncle, Edith and John Parker, adopted him. They changed his last name to Parker. In 1928, the family moved to Australia.

Vincent went to Bohleville State School. He was good at acrobatics and sports. After school, he worked at Kodak in Townsville. One time, he somersaulted out of a window to catch a paper. This amazing stunt impressed a store manager. The manager offered Parker a job as a showman. Later, a traveling magician saw his act. He offered Parker a job as a traveling magician.

After months of performing, Parker moved to Sydney. In 1938, he got a job as a steward on a ship called the Ontranto. He also met a famous magician, Leslie George Cole. Parker learned many escape tricks from Cole.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1935. Parker traveled to Britain from Sydney in 1938. He joined the RAF there.

Parker visited Britain twice before World War II. In October 1938, he returned to Britain. He stayed with his family until February 1939. He learned that his two brothers were fighter pilots. This made him want to join the RAF. He asked his parents in Australia for permission. They agreed and helped him pay for flying school.

Joining the Royal Air Force

Parker started training at a civilian flying school in May 1939. He learned very quickly. He qualified as a pilot in just six weeks. On July 22, 1939, he officially joined the RAF. He began more training in August 1939. He earned his pilot's badge on October 25, 1939.

On April 10, 1940, Parker joined the 234 Squadron at RAF Leconfield.

World War II Service

Parker and two friends flew Spitfires on a practice run. Bad weather caused problems.

The RAF considered the Spitfire plane very valuable. In 1940, they warned pilots not to damage planes without good reason. If a pilot damaged a plane, they might be moved to a different unit.

Two weeks after joining his squadron, Parker damaged his plane. He was on a practice flight in foggy weather. He got lost and ran out of fuel. Parker landed in a farmer's field. He tried to land carefully, but his plane hit a bump. The plane flipped over. Parker was not hurt, and the plane had only slight damage.

Parker told his commanders that he had helped the farmer's sheep. The RAF accepted his explanation.

On August 14, 1940, Parker and his squadron moved to Middle Wallop field. During this time, he was promoted to Pilot Officer.

Fighting in the Battle of Britain

Near Portland, the Weymouth Battle of Britain Memorial. Parker was one of "The Few" pilots.

Parker fought in the Battle of Britain. He was part of a group called "The Few". These were the RAF pilots who defended Britain. Parker was a flying ace, shooting down at least five enemy bombers.

On August 15, a big dogfight happened over Portland. German planes attacked with 70 bombers and 150 fighters. Parker shot down two German Me110 bombers. At 4:15 PM, his Spitfire was damaged. He was flying at 900 feet and parachuted near the Isle of Wight. After four hours in the sea, a German boat captured him. They took him to Cherbourg. Then, he was flown to Dulag Luft, a temporary prison for Allied airmen.

Parker's squadron lost four pilots in this raid. His friend, Pilot Officer Cecil Hight, died. Pilot Officer Richard Hardy was captured and joined Parker in prison. Sergeant Klein 'Ziggy' Zygmunt, from Poland, survived. He crash-landed safely.

Parker's Nickname

In Australia, people who live in the countryside are sometimes called 'Bushy'. Parker was from Townsville, which was considered "the bush." So, his nickname back home was 'Bushy'. In his RAF squadron, his flight commander, Pat Hughes, gave everyone nicknames. Parker's nickname at 234 Squadron was 'Bush'.

Later Life and Death

After the war, Parker planned to marry his girlfriend.

On January 29, 1946, Parker was testing a plane. He was doing a slow roll at 5000 feet. His plane, a Tempest V EJ859, crashed. He died near Felkington, England.

Remembering Vincent Parker

The RAF buried Parker on February 2, 1946. He rests in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery. Another Colditz prisoner, Noel Dan Hallifax, is buried nearby.

Parker was recognized for his bravery during World War II. The Townsville City Council in Australia named 'Vincent Bushy Parker Park' after him. It is located in Rollingstone, Queensland.

In 2003, the City of Thuringowa Council added three murals to the park. These murals show parts of Parker's life. A historian named Colin Burgess wrote a book about Parker in 2007.

See also

• Douglas Bader - A famous pilot and escaper.
• Dominic Bruce - Known for escaping many times.
• Jimmy Buckley - A friend of Parker's in prison.
• Roger Bushell - A leader in the "Great Escape."
• John Chrisp - The "ropeman" of Colditz, who helped with escapes.
• Lieutenant Alan 'Black' Campbell - A lawyer who helped prisoners.
• Leslie George Cole (The Great Lavante) - The magician who taught Parker.
• Damiaen Joan van Doorninck - A Dutch escaper from Colditz.
• Reinhold Eggers - The security officer at Colditz Castle.
• Cecil Hight - Parker's friend who died when Parker was captured.
• Dick Howe - A serial escaper and head of the escape committee.
• Corran Purdon - A commando and Colditz prisoner.
• Pat Reid - An author and Colditz prisoner.
• Geoffrey D. Stephenson - A Colditz prisoner.
• Peter Stevens - A serial escaper in Stalag Luft III.
• Pete Tunstall - A serial escaper.

Images for kids

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  A box camera. Guards found this camera on a spare bunk.

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  Items from the International Museum of World War II. These include a briefcase, a blank key, and tools. Parker filed keys as a POW.

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  A gift from Parker. The prisoners drank in moderation.

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  RAF mess at Colditz. Vincent 'Bushy' Parker is sitting third from left.

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  Barracks in a WW2 camp. Parker rested in the roof for six weeks.

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  Klim tins were useful for escapers in World War II.

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  Parker ate a loaf of bread for his meal. He took it from a farmhouse.

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  Colditz courtyard in 2022. On the right is a museum cutout of Bag Dickinson, Stephenson, and Parker.

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  Prisoners liked playing cards. They wanted a pack of cards.

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  Bottom left shows two temporary cells. On the right is the parcel office.

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  Old RAF Building at RAF Milfield.