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228978 Pte. John Dunnet 1st (Royal) Dragoons British Army from:Thurso (d.20th Jan 1916) John Dunnet was born in 1896 in Thurso, the son of John, who was a policeman, and Jessie Dunnet. His parents eventually moved to Edinburgh, where they lived in a tenement at 2, Orwell Place on Dalry Road. As well as John, the Dunnets had a further six children: four sons and two daughters. John joined the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) at Edinburgh on 3rd of January 1914 at the age of eighteen. At the time of his enlistment, he was employed as an apprentice fitter to a motor engineer, Messrs Mather on Orwell Terrace, and was also a member of the 1st Lowland Field Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Force), which was also based in the city. Three days after his attestation, John was sent to No. 6 (Scottish) Cavalry Depot at Dunbar to commence his training. On the outbreak of war in August 1914, he was posted to York to join the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. This unit had the role of training and providing drafts to both the Greys and the 1st (Royal) Dragoons. In May 1915, he was sent to France as part of a draft for the 1st (Royal) Dragoons, landing on the continent on 19 May. After barely three weeks on active service, Private Dunnet was in the trenches in Sanctuary Wood on 2nd June when he received shrapnel wounds to the right leg. He was evacuated to 4th General Hospital at Versailles. After treatment, he was then returned home and sent to hospital in Bangor. After recovering from his injuries, Dunnet was posted back to the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. He was returned to the Royals in France on 10th of October 1915. In January 1916, a Dismounted Cavalry Division was formed from the three Cavalry Divisions that formed the Cavalry Corps. Each Cavalry Brigade was ordered to form a composite dismounted battalion, with each regiment of the formation contributing a company. The Royal Dragoons provided a company as part 6th Cavalry Brigade Dismounted Battalion to serve in the line in front of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. On 12th of January 1916, John was severely wounded and was evacuated to 33rd Casualty Clearing Station at Bethune, where he died eight days later. John Dunnet is buried at Bethune Town Cemetery Please type your message:      We recommend you copy the text about this item and keep a copy on your own computer before pressing submit. Your Name:             Email Address:       @ **Please put first part of your email, (before the @ sign) in the first box, and the second part in the second box. Do not include @, it is automatic. Do not enter your full email in each box or add an @ sign or random spaces.**