105445 Major Derrick Hoyle DUNNILL, MC, 1/4 K.O.Y.L.I. : 04/11/1944

Can anyone tell me the citation connected with this man winning the MC?


https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2766457/derrick-hoyle-dunnill/

 

Mark,

Hope this works for you.
Recommendation for Award for Dunnill, Derrick Hoyle Rank: Acting Major,... | The National Archives

best wishes

 

Brilliant Richard Thank you for that

Mark

 

Hello everyone, I am also researching Major Dunnill as part of my research of those named on my local cenotaph in
Pengam South Wales. Anyone have any idea why he is remembered on this cenotaph as all records I have seen to date has him being born and raised and living in England..
Picture attached is the cenotaph.

 

Ian,

Welcome aboard. Alas Mark Rogers has not logged on since November 2019, so we don't know if his research went further. His interest was in assembling records for a Kings School in Worcester. Bexley84 is here regularly.

 

In 1940 he married Phyllis M. MORGAN in Thirsk Registration District, Yorks, but it looks from this somewhat mangled scan of a newspaper article as if her parents lived in Britannia Terrace, Pengam. In the 1939 Register Phyllis is working as a nurse in Taunton & the couple had a daughter born 1942 in Cardiff.

MARRIAGES....
.. Codling. C, Mary 'Doreen Ross Olds, at Carhis jay April 11th. ,vviTT MORGAN.—On April sth. hy INMI.I/ > ThiiPk Parish Church, H Dunnill. to Phyllia. daughter Mr. and Mrs. Albert stsan, Britannia-terrace. Pengam. 1 t \nril Hth. at Saron. | l ,\te-JAML-■ ■ ' navies ...
Published: Friday 12 April 1940
Newspaper: Western Mail
Results for 'dunnill' | Between 1st Jan 1940 and 31st Dec 1940 | Western Mail | Publication | British Newspaper Archive
Sorry I don't have access to the full article, but the BNA is accessable free from most libraries.

I expect you have this already
MAJ Derrick Hoyle Dunnill (1915-1944) - Find a...

His entry in the War Office: Roll of Honour, Second World War gives his residence in 1941 as Monmouthshire.

Travers

 

Thank you all for your kind responses which have greatly helped my research and answered a few questions. I will continue to dig around to try and find out a little more about the family from Britannia Terrace which is a street of houses built for miners who worked in the local collieries. I do have a number of ex school friends who lived in this street also.

 

Major Dunill was awarded the MC for his actions at TESSEL W00D in particular, the assault on Barbee Farm. There were 4 MCs awarded that day, soldiers who served with him told me that he should have been awarded the VC.. he was killed just outside of ROOSENDAAL in Holland - I have a photo of the exact spot - he was in a bren carrier when it came under fire from retreating Germans - the bren carrier was hit and overturned - three others with him were killed - they lie in The Catholic church in ROOSENDAAL. My Father in law was awarded a Croix de Guerre along with another soldier for their actions on that day. I have copies of the citations - sorry for the delay but I have only just come across this thread.

 

Derrick Dunnill is buried at the Catholic cemetery on the Bredaseweg in Roosendaal. Next to him lie his comrades Sgt. Heathley and Pvt. Hill who died with him at Oude Stoof (between Barlaque/Fijnaart and Klundert) in the Netherlands.

MAJOR DERRICK HOYLE DUNNILL

Derrick Dunnill was born in 1915 in Wakefield, located in the English county of Yorkshire. After completing his education in Bristol and at the Kings School in Worchester, Derrick enlisted in the British army. In 1940, Derrick married nurse Phyllis Morgan and the newlyweds moved to the English town of Staplegrove.

In 1940, Derrick was stationed in Norway with the 49th Polar Bear Division, followed by a period in Iceland. On July 16, 1944, the unit is in France and the attack is launched on the French town of Vendes. Despite heavy enemy machine and mortar fire, Derrick manages to evacuate the wounded to the field hospital. During this evacuation, Derrick is the last one left behind and even manages to take two wounded soldiers back to his own lines during his retreat. For his heroism and decisiveness during this action, Derrick was later awarded the British Military Cross.

On November 4, 1944, Dunnill's unit received the order to capture the hamlet of 'Oude Stoof' near Fijnaart during daylight. Due to the strong German defense, artillery fire support is first requested and the attack is launched around 10:00 am. It is during this attack that Derrick is hit by German machine gun fire at the Boerendijk. Harold Breadsly and Jack Whitehouse manage to transfer Derrick to the Charitas hospital in Roosendaal. But unfortunately help was of no use, as Major Derrick Dunnill had already died from his injuries. His wife Phyllis, who remarried in 1949, died in 2001.

 

Attched photo, Major Derrick Dunnill standing thrid of left.