Gunning, William Herbert

GUNNING,

WILLIAM HERBERT

BORN 15 MARCH 1893

William Herbert Gunning

was born on 15 March 1893 in Bournemouth. He was part of a large family. His parents were John Gunning, an Ironmonger, (b 1859 in Calne, Wiltshire) and Mary Ann Paulina Gunning (née White b 1855 in Wincanton, Somerset). John and Mary were married on 9 October 1882.

William had a younger brother John Robert White, born 22 March 1891, and five sisters: Olive Paulina (b 1885), Ivy Jane Mary (b 1887), Laura Ruth (b 1889), Myrtle Rose (b 1896) and Hazel Dorothy (b 1898). All the children were born in Bournemouth.

The census records from 1901 show the family living at 5 Wellington Road, Bournemouth. However, on 17 September 1906 both the sons entered form II of the School; William Herbert was 13, John Robert 15. Their father’s occupation was Engineer and their home 10 Elmdale Road, Clifton.

William Herbert left on 27 July 1909, aged 16, transferring back to Bournemouth School. His brother left on 27 April 1909, aged 17, to join his father in Business. The family went back to 5 Wellington Road, Bournemouth.

After returning to Bournemouth School, William Herbert was a member of the Officer Training Corps at Bournemouth School, where he showed ‘keenness and efficiency’.

William’s obituary in ‘The Bournemouthian’ reads, ‘When war broke out he took a commission in the Hampshire Regiment and having been ordered to the Near East, he came in for some heavy fighting in the Balkan Peninsula.'

A report from Alexandria stated that he had been wounded on 1 October, and a letter was received from him stating that he was going on very well and his friends were not to worry.

He wrote, “It was exactly a week ago that I was hit. Last Sunday at 2.30 am I got one in the side of the head, but fortunately I was wearing a shrapnel helmet and the bullet did not touch my skull. I shall try and send the helmet home, it will be worth keeping, for it saved my life. I was operated on on Tuesday as the wound was not too clean. There were two holes on the right side of my head where the bullet passed through, but they had cut them into one.”

On 28 October he sailed for Malta, presumably to recover. Five days later news was received that he was “dangerously wounded with gun-shot wound in the head” and his death was

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CONT. GUNNING,

WILLIAM HERBERT

BORN 15 MARCH 1893

announced the next day 29 October 1916. He was 23 years old. Gunning was described as a bright and genial fellow, keenly interested in his profession, with every prospect of attaining great success in it.

At the time of his death he was a Second Lieutenant serving in the 3rd Battalion, attached to the 10th Battalion, of the Hampshire Regiment.

His Commonwealth War Grave is in Pieta Military Cemetery, Valletta, Malta, (Grave Reference D XV 2).

The Ancestry Medals index card lists William as receiving the Victory and British Medals, and the 1915 star. His theatre of war is given as Salonika, arriving on 6 October 1915 and dying on 29 October 1916.

His father, John Gunning Esquire, applied for his medals. He was living at that time at Holmwood, 18 Christchurch, Bournemouth.

Pieta Military Cemetery, Valletta, Malta

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