Headstone
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Inscription
1636 RIFLEMAN W.G.M. DUNSTAN 8TH BN. HAMPSHIRE REGT. 18 AUGUST 1915 AGE 34 HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US I JOHN III Further Information
William George Morris Dunstan.
William George Morris DUNSTAN was born in Yarmouth in Dec Qtr 1881, the eldest of the 11 children of William DUNSTAN and Maria Ruth MORRIS. Earlier in the year on the 1881 census, William DUNSTAN was a soldier at Hurst Castle, born in Montreal, Canada, and Maria Ruth MORRIS was living with her brother in Yarmouth. In 1891 the family were living in Wheatsheaf Lane, Yarmouth where William senior was an Army pensioner and labourer and his sons, 9 year old William and 5 year old Charles Gordon (born 1885) were scholars.
By 1895 the family had moved to Newport and in 1901 were living at 67 South Street, Newport where William senior was an Army Pensioner, 19 year old William was a brickmaker and 17 year old Gordon was a drayman's assistant. In Dec Qtr 1908 William George Morris DUNSTAN married Elsie Gertrude BULL on the Isle of Wight. She was the daughter of Harry BULL and his wife Rosie Ellen née GUY of Newport. William and Elsie's first child, Edith Ivy Vivian DUNSTAN, was born on 22 April 1909 and their second, Gordon William Harry DUNSTAN, was born in Sep Qtr 1910. In 1911 the family were living at 17 Field Place, Newport with William, aged 29, a labourer on the roads. Their third and youngest child, Douglas Gordon Bramwell DUNSTAN was born towards the end of 1911. On 31st July 1915 William is listed on the Nominal Roll of Princess Beatrice's Isle of Wight Rifles as Rfn, No 1836 B Company. His brother Gordon was listed as Rfn. No 2326 C Company. George William Morris DUNSTAN died from wounds at Gallipoli on 19th August 1915.
ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY PRESS
Note that the newspaper reports give a date of death of August 19th, whereas the CWGC record and his headstone give August 18th.
Saturday, August 28, 1915 Page 1 Killed in Action &c. DUNSTAN. - August 19th, of wounds received in action in Gallipoli, Rfn. William G.M. Dunstan,
1/8th Hants Regiment ("Princess Beatrice's" I.W. Rifles), dearly beloved husband of Mrs. G.E. Dunstan,
of 17 Field-place, Newport, aged 34.
Page 8 THE ISLAND TERRITIORIAL RIFLES IN ACTION RANK AND FILE CASUALTIES DIED OF WOUNDS 1636 Rfn. William G.M. Dunstan, Newport Rfn. W.G.M. Dunstan, of B. Company, who died on the 19th inst. from wounds,
is the husband of Mrs. G.E. Dunstan, of 17 Field-place, Newport, and was 34 years of age.
He was employed until after the outbreak of war as a steam-roller driver's mate in the service of the
I.W. Rural District Council. He was then in the Newport Companies of the National Reserve,
having previously served in the I.W. Rifles. He volunteered for foreign service on the occasion
of the general registration of the National Reserves some time before the outbreak of hostilities.
He is a son of Mr. Dunstan, of South-street, himself an old soldier, whose younger son, Gordon Dunstan,
a steam-roller driver in the employ of the I.W. Rural District Council, is also serving in the same regiment.
The deceased will also be remembered as a drummer in the Newport Salvation Army Band. Much sympathy is
felt for his widow and three children.
Thanks to Janet Griffin for additional research and biography |
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page updated : 20th August 2010 (added biography)
page updated : 20th August 2010 (added biography)