Palmerston North retired major Cliff Parker reflects on a lifetime of service ahead of Anzac Day

In the leadup to Anzac Day, Palmerston North man Cliff Parker reflects on a life dedicated to the army and community. Photo / Sonya Holm

Cliff Parker has spent 92 years playing a lot of rugby and “just getting on with it”.

From a young age, Parker was a hard worker requiring little direction, quitting his first job in insurance aged 16.

“After six months I knew more than the branch manager, so I told him so and I left.”

After working in farming, at 21 he got called up for Compulsory Military Training - a moment that changed his life.

He chose the specialty of army engineer – even though “I didn’t know anything about it” – as his father had been an engineer in World War II.

It was the early 1950s, and he was keen to go to Korea, but initially told “to get some experience, you’re too young”.

In the end he got his wish, flying out of Evans Bay in Wellington in a Sunderland flying boat.

“I got 10 days’ notice to sell my car, get my wisdom teeth out, to get all the jabs and then I’m on a plane to Korea.”

Having been with the School of Military Engineering in Trentham and then Linton, at age 24 he was living in a tent lined with plywood, surviving dusty summers and frozen winters.

It was 1954, “so the ceasefire was well over”, with Parker joining the British 28th Engineer Regiment to build infrastructure.

“I wasn’t there five minutes and they promoted me to a sergeant. We were building culverts, we were tidying up roads, running the water supply.”

They also built an airfield, but digging the concrete holes for the hangar in winter was made near-impossible by the frozen ground.

“The ground was so hard that after a lot of hacking, instead of having the pick in a straight line, it started to curl every time.”

Summer was at the other end of extremes.

“It was fatiguing … it wasn’t oppressive. It was just get on with the job I think. Have a few beers and carry on.”

Cliff Parker heading to Korea. He was later made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Photo / Sonya Holm

A highlight of his time in Korea was playing rugby. He was in the British Army Commonwealth Far East Land Forces rugby team and toured Japan.

After Korea, Parker was sent to England on a two-year posting to learn the latest military engineering techniques.

England presented another life-changing event as he met Molly, a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force, who became his wife. “I said you better know what you’re doing because this is a long walk back.”

The couple returned to Linton in 1958 and then Waiouru, where Parker managed apprenticeship cadets. He also became their rugby coach and the Ruapehu selector.

“The coach before me was an ex-All Black, Tiny Hill. He was a great mate of mine because we’d played together when I was in the army team.”

Parker was then “told to volunteer for the SAS”, passing the selection course and becoming a warrant officer.

“[That’s] the thing I’m most proud of really, the time with the SAS because it’s the best job I’ve ever had.”

However, three months and five days later his skills were needed in Vietnam.

Supporting the Americans, he was with 22 men sent over “to win the hearts and minds of the people”.

“This time we had American food. It was much better.”

However, joining the Americans rather than the British, better food wasn’t the only difference.

“Some of these Americans had their grandfather’s pearl-handled revolver on the barrel [of their army-issue rifle].

“I tell you these Americans are mad with guns … There were so many accidental discharges with rifles going off.”

Their work involved metaphorically and literally building bridges.

“We were building bridges that were like Bailey bridges, but much lighter. They were called the Eiffel bridges.”

Parker read a report – it was “the first time I ever heard them use the word charm” – and it said Parker’s “experience and charm” is what got the locals on their side.

Cliff Parker's love of organisation, logistics and rugby has seen him in many roles over the years. Photo / Sonya Holm

In the end, Parker became a major and left the army aged 50, which was the retiring age for the rank.

But his love of organisation, logistics and rugby has seen him in many roles over the years.

He joined the Lions, spent 10 years working with the assisted living facility Abbeyfield, 30 years as a volunteer with the New Zealand Rugby Museum and next year marks his 50th anniversary with the Freemasons.

Sadly, Parker’s wife has died, but after 92 years he has grown an extensive family tree beginning with their four children and including 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Parker will be attending the Anzac Day ceremony as he does every year, laying a wreath and having breakfast with the mayor.

His nine decades of service to both the army and community are shaped by his enduring style of dedication and charm, but looking back he says “I was just being me.”

Sonya Holm is a freelance journalist based in Palmerston North.