Person

Walter Dinning attested a month after the war was declared. He was posted to 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) and served at home for almost a year. During this period, his name appeared in the Police Gazette as he went absent without leave on 30 December 1914 until 4 January 1915.

He was eventually shipped to France, disembarking on 26 August 1915. His previous misdemeanor did not prevent him being promoted to lance corporal on 22 April 1916. Two month later he was shot in the left thigh and sent to No. 2 General Hospital at Le Havre where he was admitted on 25 June 1916.

He must have rejoined him battalion as his service record mentions that he served in Italy from 8 November 1917 to 3 January 1919.

His Z11 Form, which was issued to servicemen on demobilisation states that Walter had a specialist military qualification in bombing.

During the Second World War the 1939 Register states that he was an air raid precaution (ARP) warden with special responsibility for decontamination in the case of a gas or chemical attack.

Civil Parish: Seaham

Birth date: 26-Feb-1893

Death date: 1962

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 23 Australia Street, Seaham Colliery (1911 census)
70 Viceroy Street, Seaham Harbour (1919, Army service record)
19 Frederick Street, Seaham (1939 Register)

Employment: Screener above ground (1911 census)
Miner (Army service record)
Unemployed coal hewer (1939 Register)

Family: Parents: William Dinning, Ann Maria Dinning
Siblings: George Dinning, John William Dinning
Cousin: George Jones
Sister-in-law: Ethel Dinning
Nephew: Henry Dinning (1911 census)

Military service:

Attested: 3 September 1914
Posted to 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
Regimental number: 15716
Transferred to Z Class Reserve: 4 February 1919

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office | John Sheen