Person

Anthony Dunbar served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and was awarded the Military Medal. His parents, living in Ouston, received the news that he had been killed in action on the day of the Armistice.

Anthony was born in Newcastle in 1896 to George Thomas Dunbar and his wife Sarah Dunbar nee Larner, who had married on 27 September 1877. The census from 1911 records the couple as having 11 children and a further two who had not survived past childhood. However, the newspaper article reporting Anthony’s death records the total number of children the couple had as much higher, a total of 22, of whom by 1918 only 10 were still alive.

George was a miner, by 1911 working as the deputy overman at the colliery. By that time three of George’s children who were still living at home, including Anthony, were also working as miners. At the time of enlistment, Anthony was working at the Urpeth Colliery.

It is unclear exactly when Anthony enlisted into the army but it would have been either in 1914 or early in 1915. He began serving with the 23rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as a private with the service number 23/1404. It was whilst serving with this battalion, on the second day of the Battle of the Somme, that Anthony received a gunshot wound to his nose and left thigh. He was initially admitted to the 34th Casualty Clearing Station before being evacuated on an ambulance train.

Following recovery from these injuries, Anthony joined the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. By October 1918 this battalion was fighting in Italy and it was here, on 27 October 1918 that Anthony was killed in action. He is buried in the Tezze British Cemetery in Italy and remembered locally on a memorial in Pelton, close to Ouston where his parents were living at the time of his death.

Anthony was awarded the Military Medal, which was announced in the London Gazette on 28 July 1917, although there was no citation giving any further details for this award. He also received the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Anthony’s parents were told of the news of his death on 11 November 1918. This news, received on the Armistice, was delivered by a comrade who also returned Anthony’s belongings to his parents. This news was reported in an article in the Chester-le-Street Chronicle (see Supporting Material below).

Civil Parish: Ouston

Birth date: 1896

Death date: 27-Oct-1918

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 97 Greenhow Place, Newcastle (1901 Census)
266 Middle Street, Ouston, Birtley (1911 Census)
279 Tipperary Street, Ouston, Birtley (Northumberland Fusiliers Records)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Coalminer – Motor man above ground
Urpeth Colliery

Family: Parents: George Thomas Dunbar, Sarah Dunbar nee Larner
Siblings: Richard Dunbar, Sarah Ann Dunbar, George Dunbar, John Dunbar, Sarah Dunbar, Elizabeth Dunbar, Lily Dunbar, William Dunbar, James Dunbar, Robert Dunbar, Jane E Dunbar, Maggie Dunbar, Lizzie Dunbar

Military service:

Northumberland Fusiliers, 23rd and 11th Battalions
Private
Service number 23/1404

Medal(s): Military Medal
Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Plaque 1914-18, Holy Trinity, Pelton

Gender: Male

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham