Brought up in Parsonstown in King's County, the only son of Lawrence Parsons. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1870. He served in the Second Boer War and took part in the Battle of Colenso, the Battle of Spion Kop and the Relief of Ladysmith. He was appointed Inspector General of Artillery in India in 1903, General Officer Commanding 8th Division in Southern Ireland in 1906 and General Officer Commanding 6th Division also in Southern Ireland in 1907 before retiring in 1909. He was recalled as General Officer Commanding 16th (Irish) Division in 1914 at the start of World War I and retired again in 1916.