Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (Old Jesmond) General Cemetery | XIX. 7B. 1U. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.121 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 57B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | Distinguished Service Order | ||
Family :
Son of Charles George and Barbara Jane Dunford, of Newcastle-on-Tyne; husband of Helen Walker Dunford, of 9, Polwarth Terrace, Edinburgh.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 1/6 Northumberland Fusiliers |
1/6th Battalion August 1914 : in St George's Drill Hall, Newcastle. Part of Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division. April 1915 : landed in France. May 1915 : became 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, in France. 15 July 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and transferred to Lines of Communication. 16 August 1918 : transferred to 118th Brigade, 39th Division. 10 November 1918 : disbanded in France. |
| Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 |
The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.
Detail :
Captain Roy Craig DUNFORD was born on 7th June 1881 at Kirkcudbright. He was Articled to Messrs. J M Winter and Sons, Chartered Accountants following which he became a Chartered Accountant on his own in 1904 and practiced at St Nicholas Chambers, Newcastle-on-Tyne. He was Commissioned in 6th Northumberland Fusiliers, promoted to Captain and went to France where he was slightly wounded in Sept 1915. He returned to his battalion in France on 8th January 1916 and was fatally wounded on 15/9/1916 in the action at High Wood, and died of wounds on 10th November 1916. When a German counter attack developed the 1/6 Northumberland Fusiliers sent a bombing party to the NW edge of the wood and contained the attack log enough for supporting units to come to their assistance and hold the line. It is possible that he was recommended for the Victoria Cross but at present we are unable to confirm this. He was awarded the DSO but that tended not to be awarded for individual bravery.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Golfers No. 3512 E.C. | Northumberland |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
23rd February 1913 | 30th March 1914 | 28th April 1914 |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley