B66085 Lance Corporal Thomas Parks was born in Toronto on 11 June 1903, the son of Robert Thomas Parks and Catherine Larkin. He had three sisters and four brothers. Two brothers fought in the First World War: one died of wounds while serving in France with the 58th Battalion, CEF, and the other was recruited to the 255th Battalion and served in France with the 75th Battalion.

He left school at 17 having completed one year of technical school. When he enlisted Parks was employed as a steward at the Cliffside Golf Club.

He served in The Queen’s Own Rifles militia battalion from July to November 1940 then transferred to the 1st Battalion Active Service on 16 January 1941. He arrived in the UK on 29 July 1941 and was appointed Lance Corporal in May 1943.

Lance Corporal Parks landed on Juno Beach in the second wave with D Company on D-Day, 6 June 1944. On 10 June he was promoted Acting Corporal however on 11 June (his birthday) he was killed in action at age 41, during the battle for the village of Le Mesnil Patry.

He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference III. B. 10.