Dennis Donnini
Dennis Donnini | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 17 November 1925 Easington Colliery, County Durham, England |
| Died | 18 January 1945 (aged 19) Selfkant, Nazi Germany |
| Buried | Sittard War Cemetery, Netherlands |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1944–1945 |
| Rank | Fusilier |
| Service number | 14768011 |
| Unit | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Fusilier Dennis Donnini VC (17 November 1925 – 18 January 1945) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Early life
Dennis Donnini was born to
died of wounds
on 1 May 1944.
Details
Donnini was 19 years old, and a
Second World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 18 January 1945 during
Bren gun until he was killed after the grenade he was carrying was hit by a bullet and exploded. His gallantry had enabled his comrades to overcome twice their own number of the enemy.[1]
Donnini at 19 was the youngest soldier in the Second World War to be awarded the VC.[2]
He is buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Sittard, The Netherlands.[3]
Donnini is commemorated in the song "Donnini Doolally" by Easington singer Jez Lowe on his album Doolally.
See also
- British VCs of World War 2(John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments to Courage(David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
References
- ^ "No. 36988". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 March 1945. p. 1485.
- ^ MOD website Archived 1 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ CWGC entry
Further reading
- Ugolini, Wendy (2012). "The embodiment of British Italian war memory? The curious marginalization of Dennis Donnini, VC". Patterns of Prejudice. 46 (3–4): 397–415. S2CID 143083602.
- Whitworth, Alan (2015). VCs of the North: Cumbria, Durham & Northumberland. ISBN 978-1473848221.
External links
- Battle for the Roermond Triangle – revised version 2004 at www.operation-blackcock.com
- [1] at www.reaseuro.nl
