Edward Henry Barnabas Dunnett

A Corporal with the 12th Battalion, Edward died on 18th of July 1917 at the age of 40. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft on 25 April 1877, a son of James and Sarah Dunnett. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 3 June 1877. In 1881 his family lived at Wicks Court, Saint Peter’s Street. Edward attended Arnold Street School and, on 22 February 1886, became a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School. At this time his family lived at Chapel Street and by 1891 they were living at 12 Oxford Road.

In 1911 Edward lived with his father at 12 Oxford Road and he worked as a fisherman. 

Edward enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 21180. Edward was already a Corporal when left for France with the 12th Battalion. 

On 17 July 1917 the 12th Battalion were in the front line trenches at Villers Guislain. The battalion sent out a fighting patrol under Second Lieutenant Passman. The patrol encountered a large party of the enemy and after a ‘sharp engagement’ the enemy withdrew. The patrol lost one man, missing, and had two men wounded, the war diary records that ‘It is believed that enemy casualties were heavy’. 

Although Commonwealth War Graves records show Edward’s date of death as 19 July, the Army Register of Soldier Effects shows that Edward was reported missing on 18 July and was later presumed to have been killed in action on that date. It is clear that Edward was the man ‘missing’ from the fighting patrol. 

Edward’s sole legatee was his sister Maud Mary Cragg.