Obituary
Died of Wounds. Dinneen Capt. J. (Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F., 30 October 1916, p. 118)
Obituary: Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. 1916.
Copies of the Auckland Weekly News recently to hand, contain the following appreciation of a deeply lamented officer who fell at the Somme in September last:- Captain J. D. Dinneen, reported as having died of wounds, was formerly a member of the teaching staff of the Auckland Grammar School. He left New Zealand in February, 1915, to volunteer for service in the military wing of the Royal Flying Corps. In this arm of the service he received a lieutenancy, and qualified as a pilot, but had to relinquish his commission owing to a defect in eyesight. Qualifying then in infantry work he became a captain in the Auckland Battalion of the Expeditionary Force, and in that capacity has lately been fighting in France. Captain Dinneen was a B.A. of the New Zealand University. The circumstances in which Captain J. D. Dinneen met his death on the battlefield are related in a letter received this week by his mother, Mrs. M. D. Dinneen, of Manukau Road, Remuera, from Lieut.-Colonel Plugge, commander of the First (Auckland) Infantry Battalion of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who writes:- 'Captain Dinneen was wounded on September 27th. He was gallantly leading his company to the attack on Gird Trench, and, although he was twice wounded in the arm by machine-gun fire, he went on, but a shell burst close to him, fracturing his thigh, and a fragment striking him in the chest. We were not able to get him in until September 28. Three men were hit in attempting it, but one of his men got out to the shell-hole with food and drink, and covered him up. I saw him when they got him in, and immediately arranged for a change of stretcher-bearers. He was quite cheerful, and only wanted something to drink. My doctor told me afterwards that he had hopes that his fine constitution would pull him through, and it turned out that he had been hit by a phosphorus shell.' In expressing his sympathy with the family in their bereavement, Colonel Plugge adds:- 'He was a splendid company officer, beloved by his men, and absolutely devoid of all fear. I miss him not only as an officer but as an old personal friend, and, though I was responsible for his joining the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, I do not regret it, and I don’t think that he would.' (Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F., 28 March 1917, p. 65)
We regret that Captain J. D. Dineen [sic], Royal Flying Corps, of Auckland, has died of wounds. (Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F., 29 November 1916, p. 148) AWMM