1914 - 15 Trio.
2335 Pte. P. G. Dunn, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).
Percy Gordon Dunn was born on 23rd April 1895. The 1901 Census gives his family's address as 66 Chippenham Road, Paddington, and lists the eight family members: George, aged 47 and a Post Office sorter, his wife Elisa (34), and their children - Dorothy (11), Florence (10), Albert (8), Percy (5), Edith (3) and Cecil (8 mths). At some point before the outbreak of the First World War, the family moved to 147 Bravington Road, Paddington.
Percy attested for the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles) on 31st August 1914, agreeing to serve for four years in the Territorial Force. His Attestation Papers describe him as aged 19 with good physical development. He was also just under 6', which was exceptionally tall for the early 20th century. On 9th September, Percy signed Army Form 624, agreeing to serve "in any place outside the United Kingdom in the event of National emergency."
After a period of basic training, Percy went to France with the 1/15th Londons on 17th March 1915; he was one of the original battalion, which landed in France on this day, the men earning themselves the proud title of "17th of March Men". Percy appears to have served with the Battalion through till March 1918, and would have taken part in the many battles and engagements that the 1/15th Londons were involved in. These include Festubert and Loos in 1915, Vimy Ridge, High Wood and the Butte de Warlencourt in 1916 and the Ypres Salient, Messines Ridge, Bourlon Wood and the Hindenburg Line in 1917. Percy was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 2nd November 1916 (shortly after the Somme battles at High Wood and the Butte, when there would have been a shortage of NCOs) and paid Lance Corporal in June 1917. (A lance corporal received 1s and 3d a day compared to the "shilling a day" paid to privates.)
On the morning of March 21st 1918, the Germans launched the Kaiser's Battle or "Kaiserschlacht", attacking along a 50 mile length of front held by battle-weary divisions of the British Third and Fifth Armies. As the line gave way and British troops fell back, retreating in the face of overpowering odds, the fighting became confused. The 15th Londons' Regimental History states: "There have been many attempts to write the story of the great retreat and, generally speaking, the experience of one battalion was much the same as that of any other. But it is well-nigh impossible to describe in detail the career of any unit throughout the most strenuous days of the fighting - the 21st to the 26th of March. During these days battalions often became split up into several parties engaged in different small fights, where none knew how the battle fared with their comrades in other parts of the field."
Percy attested for the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles) on 31st August 1914, agreeing to serve for four years in the Territorial Force. His Attestation Papers describe him as aged 19 with good physical development. He was also just under 6', which was exceptionally tall for the early 20th century. On 9th September, Percy signed Army Form 624, agreeing to serve "in any place outside the United Kingdom in the event of National emergency."
After a period of basic training, Percy went to France with the 1/15th Londons on 17th March 1915; he was one of the original battalion, which landed in France on this day, the men earning themselves the proud title of "17th of March Men". Percy appears to have served with the Battalion through till March 1918, and would have taken part in the many battles and engagements that the 1/15th Londons were involved in. These include Festubert and Loos in 1915, Vimy Ridge, High Wood and the Butte de Warlencourt in 1916 and the Ypres Salient, Messines Ridge, Bourlon Wood and the Hindenburg Line in 1917. Percy was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 2nd November 1916 (shortly after the Somme battles at High Wood and the Butte, when there would have been a shortage of NCOs) and paid Lance Corporal in June 1917. (A lance corporal received 1s and 3d a day compared to the "shilling a day" paid to privates.)
On the morning of March 21st 1918, the Germans launched the Kaiser's Battle or "Kaiserschlacht", attacking along a 50 mile length of front held by battle-weary divisions of the British Third and Fifth Armies. As the line gave way and British troops fell back, retreating in the face of overpowering odds, the fighting became confused. The 15th Londons' Regimental History states: "There have been many attempts to write the story of the great retreat and, generally speaking, the experience of one battalion was much the same as that of any other. But it is well-nigh impossible to describe in detail the career of any unit throughout the most strenuous days of the fighting - the 21st to the 26th of March. During these days battalions often became split up into several parties engaged in different small fights, where none knew how the battle fared with their comrades in other parts of the field."
According to his Service Papers, Percy Dunn was reported missing on March 22nd. The Regimental History, on the other hand, describes March 22nd as a quiet day with March 23rd being "the most critical day in the career of the Civil Service Rifles in France." Certainly there was prolonged and confused fighting on the 23rd and by the afternoon 'D' Company, with their right flank "in the air" had been surrounded and most of the men were killed or captured. It is impossible to know whether it was here or in one of the "different small fights" that Percy was taken prisoner. What is known is that he suffered a gun shot wound in the thigh and, as noted on his Service Papers, he lost his extra lance corporal's pay once he was a prisoner.In June 1918, a communication was received from the Central Prisoner of War Committee with the information that Percy was a POW at Sprottau Camp in Lower Silesia. (The town of Sprottau is now within the borders of Poland and goes by the name of Szprotawa.) He would be repatriated to England in late November, soon after the Armistice. Discharged from the army on 25th March 1919, Percy was awarded a King's Certificate, a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension, his wound having resulted in a 30% degree of disability. He had served 4 years and 207 days. In 1922, Percy married Lilian Holton. He died in Hampstead in 1974.
Great Story, the interesting thing about how I came across this blog was I'm trying to track down my Grandfathers medals from the boer war and ww1 and his name is also Percy H.Dunn!!
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