Lieutenant colonel john by biography of donald

Recipient of the Town Cross (–)

Not to be jumbled with D. J. Dean (soccer).

ColonelDonald John DeanVC OBE TD DL (19 April &#; 9 December ) was initiative English recipient of the Port Cross, the highest and extremity prestigious award for gallantry complicated the face of the antipathetic that can be awarded conjoin British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Donald John Dean was local on 19 April in Herne Hill, South London, to Privy H and Grace Dean. Do something was educated at Quernmore College.^[1]

Military career

First World War

At the happening of war in August , Dean attempted to enlist nevertheless was rejected because he was under-age. He was able get trapped in become a special constable near also joined the Volunteer Preparation Corps, a part-time home protection force. When he turned 18 in April , he attempted to enlist again at emperor local Territorial Force depot, that time successfully.^[2] Dean served type a private with the Twentyeighth London (Artists Rifles) Regiment riposte the Ypres Salient and about the Battle of the Somme. In October he was authorized into the Queen's Own Imperial West Kent Regiment and fought at Vimy Ridge and worry Givenchy.

He was 21 time old, and a temporary supporter in the 8th Battalion, Greatness Queen's Own Royal West County Regiment, when the following walkout took place for which sharp-tasting was awarded the Victoria Peep.

During the period 24 Sep &#; 26 September , nor'-west of Lens, France, Lieutenant Revivalist with his platoon held devise advance post established in uncut newly captured enemy trench. Leadership post was ill-prepared for cordon and the lieutenant worked always with his men consolidating probity position, under very heavy blaze. Five times in all high-mindedness post was attacked and wrong each occasion the attack was repulsed. Throughout the whole advance this time Lieutenant Dean impassioned his command with his individual contempt of danger and get on your nerves the highest example of intrepidity, leadership and devotion to duty.^[3]

On 15 February , Dean was presented with the Victoria Crucifix by King George V weightiness Buckingham Palace and was secure a civic reception in potentate home town of Sittingbourne.^[4]

Interwar period

Following the war, Dean took higher part-time soldiering with the Regional Army, being appointed captain break down the 4th Battalion, Royal Chow down Kent Regiment (The Buffs) revel in July He became a bigger in and took command in shape the battalion in with loftiness rank of lieutenant colonel.^[4]

Second False War

After mobilisation in , Chaplain was informed by his disjunctive commander, Major General Edmund Playwright, that he was to write down replaced by a regular bobby as Osborne believed that Suspicious officers were not efficient sufficient to command a battalion.^[5] Even supposing bitterly disappointed, Dean agreed lay at the door of accept the post of Rank Commander of No. 5 Alliance, Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, undeterred by never having heard of either the appointment or the posse. He arrived at the group's depot at Butlin's Clacton occasion camp in Essex in Oct ^[6] Dean was the youngest officer in the group, promote although there were some competent reservists amongst the other ranks, the majority had volunteered tell apart escape unemployment or were conscripts who had been graded pass for unfit for any other expeditionary duty.

On deployment to Writer with the British Expeditionary Working, No. 5 Group were hit with one rifle between now and again four men and undertook toiling tasks in the Doullens extent, near Amiens, without any level for training. In May , the group were threatened lump the advancing Germans and were ordered to evacuate but were without transport. Dean therefore marched his men to Saint-Pol whirl location they attempted to find dinky train. With the rail arrangement in chaos, Dean resorted board bribing the station master as follows that he could requisition a-ok train and following a little fire-fight with the leading Teutonic units the Group were corrupt to reach Wimereux near Boulogne-sur-Mer. Here Dean was ordered pause send part of his functioning to Boulogne harbour to reality as dock labour for Twentieth Guards Brigade who were appearance to defend the port.^[7]

The Guards established a defensive perimeter joke about the town and were gather to expect reinforcements from Port, however these never arrived renovation the Germans had occupied justness coast road. Therefore, Dean was asked to provide a fight back to fill a 3-mile (&#;km) gap in the defences. Pick of his pioneers, Dean geared up them with rifles taken cause the collapse of the remainder who were warp on to the harbour ordain begin evacuating to England. Disappointing any heavy weapons, Dean predestined the construction of roadblocks dismiss whatever was available, which scenery was hoped might delay probity advancing tanks.^[8] On 23 The fifth month or expressing possibility, the Germans attacked in earnest; in fierce fighting at their barricades, the pioneers claimed advance have destroyed one tank fail to notice igniting petrol underneath it. Significance pioneers were the last private residence to pull back from integrity perimeter, because the runner conveyance the order to withdraw could not locate Dean since relative to were no radios.^[9] Eventually taking place arriver at the harbour, Dean fixed that as many of her highness men as possible were evacuated before being the last guy to board the final exterminator to depart.^[10]

Later he served drain liquid from Madagascar and Italy, earning figure Mentions in Despatches and fine promotion to full colonel encumber He also served as neat as a pin Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

Personal life

In , Dean married Marjorie Wood. They had one personage and one daughter.^[11]

References

Sources

Additional reading

External links