TOPIC:

Harold Dunning's story whilst not unique is an interesting one as he saw service with no fewer than 3 different regiments in WWI.

Harold Durham John Dunning

Trooper, Natal Telegraph Corps – Bambatha Rebellion
Private, 6th South African Infantry – WWI
Private, Mechanised Transport, South African service Corps
Private, South African Medical Corps

- Natal Rebellion Medal with 1906 clasp to Tpr. H.J. Dunning, Natal Telegraph Corps
- British War Medal to Pte. H.J. Dunning, S.A.M.C.
- Victory Medal to Pte. H.J. Dunning, 6th S.A.I.

Harold Dunning was born in Durban in the Colony of Natal on 1 November 1884 the son of Alfred Robert Dunning and his wife Alice Emily born Tyrrell. Alfred had been a civil servant in India which is where he had met his wife. On arrival in South Africa circa 1881 he had held various positions in the Colonial administration including Repatriation Commissioner for Indian Immigrants, Deputy Protector for Immigrants and Justice of the Peace. That he could speak 12 Indian dialects and could write Sanskrit fluently doubtless aided him in his work.


Harold is the boy second from the right in the back row in this 1902 family photo

Harold Dunning was baptised in the Methodist Church on the Berea in Durban on 28 August 1887. Being born in Victorian times usually meant, that there would be a number of siblings to follow and his parents didn’t disappoint with Enid Amy May Dunning, born 5 October 1888; Alfred Durham Eric Dunning, born 7 February 1891; Hubert Durham Spencer Dunning, born 13 August 1893; Guy Lancelot Ashburton Dunning, born 1897 and twins Stephen Ashburton Dunning and Noel Ashburton Dunning, born on 26 December 1900. All told there were twelve children in the family.

Life could never have been dull for the young Harold whilst growing up, his menagerie of brothers and sisters would have seen to that. Early 20th century Natal was not a happy place to be – the Anglo Boer War recently concluded, had left a drain on the Colonial purse and every effort was being made to haul the fragile economy out of recession by its very bootstraps. One measure decided upon by the authorities was to impose a Hut Tax on the head of every male Zulu above the age of 18. This would be collected by the Resident Magistrates accompanied by Natal Police members for their security and protection.

Never a popular idea the tax was resented and resisted in some quarters from the very outset with some Chiefs openly defying the government and refusing to pay the tax. A young hothead chief of the Zondi clan known as Bambatha was one of the ring leaders and most outspoken critics of the tax, openly going round fomenting violent opposition to the payment thereof. This overflowed into open rebellion and the Natal Militia, the Natal Telegraph Corps among them, were called out to quell the uprising. By this time Dunning had joined the ranks of the Natal Telegraph Corps as a Trooper.

This Corps, according to the "Short History Of The Volunteer Regiments Of Natal And East Griqualand, Past and Present" compiled by Colonel Godfrey T Hurst, DSO OBE VD, Honorary Colonel of the Natal Mounted Rifles, was officially formed in 1903, but detachments which comprised the nucleus of the unit were in existence since 1890 as the signalling personnel of the Natal Volunteer Regiments.

The members of these detachments were regular members of their regiments, but, upon the mobilisation of the Natal Volunteer Brigade, 1899, for the S.A. War, the signalling detachments were withdrawn from their units and were formed into a signalling unit in charge of Lieutenant E. K. Whitehead, of the Natal Volunteer Brigade Staff. The unit was hastily formed and somewhat loosely organised. After the war the personnel returned to their own regiments, but the temporary organisation of the N.T.C. was retained in being during the interim before the Natal Telegraph Corps formally came into existence in 1903, when the unit organisation and former personnel were absorbed into a new permanent signalling corps, under the above title. The headquarters were in Pietermaritzburg, and the recruiting area was the whole of Natal, but mainly to Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

The peace establishment of the new corps was 50, all ranks, in two troops as a mounted unit, but on mobilisation for active service this establishment was considerably increased by recruitment from the postal and telegraph services of Natal. The first and only commanding officer was Captain F. Prater, who held the command till the corps amalgamated in 1914 with the Transvaal Signalling Corps.

As a separate unit the corps wore as a badge a device of crossed Morse flags with a telegraph pole with arms in the centre, N. on one flag, T. in the centre, and C. on the right flag. Shoulder and hat titles were N.T.C. in three-quarter inch brass block letters. Collar badges and buttons in brass bore the device of crossed Morse flags with the motto "Je Suis Pret" — I am ready and that they were for on 9 February, the Governor, Sir Henry McCallum, proclaimed martial law.

The Bambatha Rebellion was a two-phased one – after the initial flare up the resistance crumbled and the Militia were stood down. The main event, however, was still to come and later on in early 1906 Bambatha, strengthened by alliances with other powerful Zulu chiefs reignited the conflict. Eventually the rebels were trapped in Mome Gorge in Zululand where the Militia units surrounded the Zulus and aimed concentrated fire into their trapped ranks. Those that attempted to flee were mown down by a combination of rifle fire from the troops and shells from the Natal Field Artillery guns. Bambatha was shot and his head brought out for all to see – apparently a necessary measure to convince the sceptical Zulus that he was actually dead.

With Bambatha no more the rebellion largely fizzled out and the assembled men were able to return to their civilian pursuits. For his efforts Dunning was awarded the Natal Medal with 1906 clasp. Nothing more was heard of him until, having travelled north into the largely unexplored region of Rhodesia, he enlisted with the British South Africa Police as a Constable with no. 1248 on 8 June 1910. This service proved to be short-lived as, exactly six months later on 8 December 1910 he took his discharge.

Less than two years later he was back in Durban where, on 15 May 1912 and at the age of 27, he entered into the matrimonial estate with Edith May Mardell. His occupation at the time of his marriage was given as Fireman. It wasn’t long after this, in fact a mere two years later that the world was at war. Britain and her Empire were ranged against the forces of Germany and her allies. War commenced on 4 August 1914 with South Africa’s contribution coming hot on the heels of that date. Dunning bided his time before enlisting with the 6th South African Infantry for service in German East Africa. 6th S.A.I. was very much a regiment populated in the main by men from Natal and Dunning must have felt quite at home as a result. Completing the Attestation Papers at Potchefstroom on 2 December 1915 he confirmed both his 1906 Rebellion as well as his B.S.A.P. service.

Now 32 years old he was still married to Edith and had three children Jessie, Bertie and Harry – the family lived at 80 Lorne Street, Durban. A Motorman on the Tramways he had brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion with tattoo marks on both forearms. He was a tall man at 5 feet 11 inches. Having been passed as Fit he was assigned no. 1455 and the rank of Private.

Having arrived in German East Africa Dunning and his comrades were in the field. Conditions were far from ideal and almost all personnel of European descent succumbed to the ravages of malaria, black water fever or any number of other pestilences abounding in this tropical back water. The 6th S.A.I. were in the thick of it in campaigns like Salaita where they incurred quite a number of casualties. On 5 April 1916 at Himo Dunning was treated for an undiagnosed complaint before being admitted to the South African General Hospital at Voi on 9 April where it immediately became apparent that he had malaria. On 13 April he was transferred to Nairobi and then on to Muthaiga a day later where he was to remain until being discharged to duty on 27 May 1916. At this point he was categorised as unfit for an indefinite period and “posted with Details.”

On 6 June he was back in hospital with Silicosis - a form of lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. This condition laid him low until he was able to return to duty on 27 June. Having a rough time of it Dunning was readmitted to hospital at Muthaiga on 4 August with malaria before being discharged on 22 August. For Dunning his woes in East Africa were almost at an end – on 8 November 1916 he disembarked from the “Gascon” at Cape Town and was admitted to No. 1 General Hospital at Wynberg being discharged as medical unfit on 15 December 1916. His official discharge from the army came on 21 January 1917 with his return address provided as 75 The Mansions, West Street, Durban. His discharge papers rated his Military Character as Very Good and he was able to claim service of one year and 60 days.

Having suffered so with health issues Dunning could have been forgiven for not returning to the war but he was a hardy type and, after a year of recuperation and with the war still showing no signs of abating, he enlisted at Roberts Heights on 28 March 1918 with the Mechanised Transport section of the South African Service Corps. His attestation papers confirmed his previous service and added that his new address was P.O. Red Hill in Durban. Physically he was little changed and, having been found Fit for the army, was assigned no. 7860 and the rank of Driver. This service was short-lived and after the elapse of only 123 days Dunning was discharged on 25 July 1918 – this time with a Good rating.

Undeterred he set his sights on the South Africa Medical Corps attesting for service with them at Durban on 20 September 1918. Assigned no. 3194 he was destined for East Africa but never made it that far – on 9 October 1918 he proceeded to No. 5 General Hospital in Kimberley where he was entitled to an increase in pay “whilst employed in attendance on infectious cases” – the end of the war 2 days later interfered with his stay and he was returned to the Depot in Durban from where, on 12 December 1918 he was discharged and demobilised for the last time after 112 days service and a Very Good character rating.

The war finally over he was awarded the War Medal and Victory Medal. Dunning appears to have continued on in the service of the Durban Municipality before passing away at the age of 66 at Addington Hospital on 19 June 1951. He was survived by his widow and only surviving child – Harold Alfred Robert Dunning.

Very nice again Rory, I'm thinking, perhaps another local find, it is interesting to note his BSAP service was so short, I do wonder why, but, a good trio and again, untouched, I like it very much, there always was and for me, at least, still is, something very special about Natal, the 1906 medal's reverse is truly a work of art, in it's own right.
Natal was a relatively poor Colony, but, a brief look at the uniforms and accoutrements of it's Militia and Volunteers, would certainly suggest to, I suspect, a great many that the reverse had actually been the case.

Good Morning Rory.....

Thank you...... Another great read this morning..... Please never stop.......

I have to agree with Frank about the Natal's artwork, this and the Ashantee/East and West Africa/Central Africa are the two best works of art.......

Mike

Thanks chaps - yes a local find Frank augmented by a fortuitous contact made with the family from whence the photo and a few other details emanated. It's not always possible (or even desirable) but I try to make contact with relatives in order to gain more insight into the chap - collecting mainly Victorian medals presents a challenge in that most families have long forgotten the relative and/or destroyed any photos they might have had.

Regards

Rory

Rory
The Natal Telegraph Corps Rebellion Medal makes this a very special group, so it is another addition to the upper echelons of your collection, and another one for me to envy.
Regards
Brett

PS I should not intrude into your thread, but I thought there might be readers who are unfamiliar with the Rebellion Medal:

Hello Rory,

Very nice indeed. I really like the picture of Harold. I am not sure about the 1914-15 Star that you mention!!

Regards
Adrian