I am grateful to Jackie van Bergen of Ku-ring-gai Historical Society, khs.org.au, for sending me information about Sydney Parkes.
First of all a very fine fine photograph of him. This came from Ancestry and credit to “pmacks1” – I’d be interested in getting in touch.
Secondly his conscription poem.
The Somme 
Somehow the pic and poem go well together. The poem reminiscent of Frank Sidgwick’s asking “is your blood water or wine?”
https://skipperswar.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/november-30th/