Christopher Blencowe Noble Dunn
Born 30 Jul 1872 - Died 7 Jan 1945
- Service number
- South African 7162 AWMM
- WWI 12/2168 AWMM
- Also known as
- Chris Dunn AWMM
- Christopher Blencoe Noble AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Pre WW1 New Zealand Mounted Rifles, 9th Contingent AWMM
- WW1 Private AWMM 1st New Zealand Infantry Training Battalion, Egypt AWMM
- War
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 30 Jul 1872 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- Son of Robert Horatio & Mary Sophia Louise DUNNPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 1 May 2026 - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192370840/christopher-blencowe_noble-dunn
- Address before enlistment
- Pre 27 Feb 1902 AWMM Kaitaia, New Zealand AWMM
- Pre 11 Jan 1915 AWMM Kaitaia, Mangonui, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Farmer/Civilian AWMM
- Next of kin
- Herbert Chesney Dunn (brother), Kaitaia, New Zealand AWMM
- H.C. Dunn (brother), Kaitaia, Mangonui, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 20 Mar 1902 AWMM Single AWMM
- Pre 17 Apr 1915 AWMM Legally Separated AWMM
Legally Separated, 4 children AWMM - 1906 Christopher DUNN married Mary Eliza GEDDES- she died in 1908
n. 1910 - Christopher married Sarah SHEPHERDPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 1 May 2026 - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192370840/christopher-blencowe_noble-dunn
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- South African 7162 AWMM
- WWI 12/2168 AWMM
- Military service
- Mangonui Mounted Rifles for 3 years AWMM
- F Squadron, North Island Regiment, Ninth Contingent, New Zealand Mounted Rifles AWMM
- Auckland Infantry Regiment AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- South Africa 27 Feb 1902 AWMM
Age 29 AWMM
Farmer/Civilian AWMM - WW1 11 Jan 1915 AWMM
Age 42 AWMM
- South Africa 27 Feb 1902 AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- South Africa Vessel was Devon AWMM Sergeant AWMM New Zealand Mounted Rifles, 9th Contingent, North Island Regiment (2nd Regiment), F Squadron AWMM New Zealand Mounted Rifles, 9th Contingent AWMM
- WW1 17 Apr 1915-25 May 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 21 AWMM Vessel was Willochra AWMM Private AWMM A Company, Auckland Infantry Battalion AWMM 4th Reinforcements AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
(SA) 5 foot 9.5 inches; (WW1) 5 foot 9 inches AWMM - Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
(SA) Brown; (WW1) Green AWMM - Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
(SA) brown; (WW2) Dark brown AWMM - Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
(SA) Fair; (WW1) Fair AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Wounded during attack on Chunuk Bair, Gallipoli AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Admitted to hospital ship on 9 August 1915 AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Admitted to No 2 Australian General Hospital, Egypt, 12 August 1915 AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Discharged convalescent from Alexandria Hospital, 28 September 1915 AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Hospitalised on Lemnos Island - released on 24 December 1915 AWMM - Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
Heart failure AWMM
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Pre WW1 26 Aug 1902 AWMM
End of war AWMM New Zealand Mounted Rifles, 9th Contingent AWMM - WW1 13 Aug 1916 AWMM
Medically unfit for further service AWMM
Private AWMM
1st New Zealand Infantry Training Battalion, Egypt AWMM
- Pre WW1 26 Aug 1902 AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Christopher Dunn was the son of Robert Horatio and Mary Sophia Louisa Dunn of Kaitaia, New Zealand. Grandson of Rev Joseph Matthews, a pioneer missionary in Kaitaia.
Dunn married Mary Geddes in 1906. They had two sons, Christopher Francis and Robert James. Mary died only hours after giving birth to Robert. He married Sarah Shepherd in 1910. They had two daughters, Vivienne Maud and Elsa Rose.
Dunn's nephew, Kenneth Gordon Dunn (414605), was killed in a flying accident in the U.K. while serving with the RNZAF in the Second World War.
Dunn arrived in South Africa in time to see a bit of the countryside and be present at the signing of the peace treaty, but did not actually see any action.
At the time Dunn enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in 1915, he was legally separated from Sarah.
Within a fortnight of arriving in Egypt, Dunn and the rest of the 4th Reinforcements to the NZEF were at Gallipoli. Dunn was involved in the attack on Chunuk Bair, where he was wounded. Fortunately he was able to make it back down to the beach, where he was put on a hospital ship bound for Egypt.
After recovering from his wounds, he rejoined his unit on the island of Lemnos. He was hospitalised there and so did not return to Gallipoli with them. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, he returned to Egypt, where he was assigned to the 1 New Zealand Infantry Training Battalion. He remained in Egypt while the rest of the New Zealand Division headed for Western Europe. Dunn returned to New Zealand 2 months later, having been declared unfit for duty.
Two days before leaving for home, Dunn forfeited 8 days' pay after being caught with a forged leave pass on 9 June 1916.
After returning to New Zealand, Dunn was awarded a 50-acre farm block at Herekino.
Listed at Archives New Zealand as DUNN, Christopher Blencoe Noble
Father was named Robert Horatio Dunn. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 7 Jan 1945 AWMM
Age 72 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Died of Disease AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- St Saviours Anglican Churchyard, Kaitaia, Northland, New Zealand AWMM
- St Saviours Cemetery AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- Death notice: Northland Age (Kaitaia), 11 January 1945 AWMM
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20519852
Further Reference - New Zealand History online. New Zealand in the South (Boer) War.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/south-african-boer-war/introduction
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Military Nursing - A History of the R.N.Z.N.C. Boer War to Present Day
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 204 - Parker, K. (1999). Kaitaia: Portraits from the past 1900 - 1939. Kamo, N.Z.: Bridgewater Publications.
Parker, K. (1999). p. 181 portrait - Northern Age
Death notice: Northland Age (Kaitaia), 11 January 1945 - Stowers, R. (2009). Rough riders at war : history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and information on all members of the 10 New Zealand contingents. Hamilton, N.Z.: R. Stowers.
- Information kindly provided by family
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Burton, O. (1922). The Auckland regiment : being an account of the doings on active service of the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Auckland Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
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