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Pvt John Dennis
With credits to Martin Harper for his research
JOHN JAMES DENNIS was born in Nottingham in 1885. On the 1901 Census he is living on Park Street, Prestwich and was a Fishmongers Assistant. He was son of the late Samuel and Anne Dennis of Cheetham Hill.
Precisely on zero-hour, 5.00am, the British artillery unleashed a fierce bombardment onto the German front lines. The shelling seemed so ferocious that little resistance was expected- but resistance there was, and it came as a terrible surprise to the attackers.
Later that year, when John's battalion moved towards Ypres, Dennis absented himself, resulting in a sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, which was suspended on 4 June 1915 by the Army commander, General Haig.
At 7.10am on 30 January 1916 John was executed by a firing squad of 10 men from the battalion. The battalion War Diary recorded that it was thought to be the first execution in the regiment since Peninsular War days. On that day the diary also notes that Haigh made a surprise visit to the battalion, complimented the Regimental Guard and had a talk with one of the companies before leaving. Maybe just trying to steady the troops after having one of their own shot! He is buried at Lillers Communal Cemetery.
IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE MAY HE REST IN PEACE FROM HIS LOVING FAMILY
In 2006 The Defence Secretary announced ‘Pardons’ for all 306 men who had been shot for desertion or cowardice and a Pardon now lies on the file of John James Dennis at the National Archives.
On the Prestwich Roll Of Honour his address is 131 Bury Old Rd, which at that time was the row of cottages, now shops, to the left of The St Margarets Pub as you look at it.
John James joined the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. He was a re-enlisted man, with about 13 years’ previous service. In May 1915 the Regiment was involved in the Battle of Aubers, in the Artois region of France.
(Extract by local historian Geoff Grainger, taken from the web site of Northampton Museums and Art Gallery)
For the British Army, the 9th May 1915 was to prove a disaster. For the County of Northamptonshire it was to be arguably the blackest day in its history, yet the battle has been largely forgotten.
The Northamptons and other regiments waited with fixed bayonets but things had already started to go wrong. Some units were hit by their own artillery shells that were falling short. Fifty minutes later the guns fell silent and whistles signalled the infantry attack. As the Northamptons climbed their ladders to charge over No Man’s Land they were hit by hurricanes of machine-gun, rifle and artillery fire. Within a short time both battalions suffered immense casualties and very few men reached the enemy positions. Those who did, unable to advance or retire, came under constant attack by the German defenders. Finally, after some fourteen hours and under cover of darkness, remnants of these isolated groups managed to regain their lines, crawling through heaps of dead comrades.
In total the Northamptons suffered 984 casualties, or nearly 60% of the soldiers who had seen the dawn.
The Regiment took on recruits and moved North to ready itself for what was to be The Battle of Loos in September 1915. On 18 September 1915, at Burbure, Dennis was present at a kit inspection, prior to a move to the trenches a few days thereafter, but was missing at roll-call on 20 September. He was found on 11th November at a farmhouse at Bas Rieux and arrested.
At trial on 3rd December 1915, the evidence was not contested. Dennis, on oath, denied knowing of the intended move to the trenches, spoke of reporting sick on 20 Sept, of going for a walk, but getting lost and of making some effort to find his regiment. He said that all the heavy shelling had affected his mind, something the court did not accept.
After conviction and sentence, his CO wrote that Dennis had served only 3 months with the battalion and was ‘useless from a military point of view’. However Judge Babbington had stated at the trial that Dennis was of previously good character.
Dennis became the first man to have his death sentence confirmed by Haig, now Commander In Chief. The delay of fifty-eight days between verdict and execution was the longest for any condemned man during WW1, during which time he remained with his unit.
