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16712 Company Sergeant Major
WILLIAM GEORGE MORRIS DUNSFORD
Royal Engineers

by

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, PE, MInstRE
(May 2020)  

1.  INTRODUCTION  

            The principal references used in the preparation of this narrative were from the man’s service papers, which were obtained from the Army Pay Office (Pensions) in 1980.  Additional references include census records, official registries in the United Kingdom, medal rolls, family trees and various internet sites.  All sources are contained in the REFERENCE section at the end of the narrative and are cited throughout in the ENDNOTES.  Where no citation is provided, the information was obtained from the soldier’s service papers.  For brevity, the main subject of this research will be identified as W.G.M. Dunsford, or William Dunsford or by using his military rank.  Every effort has been made to accurately portray the life and military service of Company Sergeant Major Dunsford.   

2.  EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY INFORMATION  

Family Information[i]

            William George Morris Dunsford’s father was George Dunsford (1822 - ?), a Sadler, of Bristol, Gloucestershire.  His grandfather was William Dunsford (1774-1855) of Wraxall, Dorset.  An examination of the cited family trees indicates that at one time the family name was spelled Dunford and that over the years the letter “s” was added to the surname.  No explanation for this change could be found during this research project.

            W.G.M. Dunsford’s mother was Sarah Ann Morris (1836-1919), also of Bristol, Gloucestershire.  She was the daughter of William Morris (1794 - ?).

            Prior to the birth of William, George and Sarah Ann had a daughter, Katherine Althea Dunsford (1858-1935) who was born in Bristol.  Although her year of birth is shown as 1858 in the various Dunsford family trees, she may actually have been born in late 1857 and her birth not recorded until early in 1858.  The reason for this assumption is that W.G.M. Dunsford was born in September of 1858[ii] (the ninth month of the year), thus making the birth of year of Althea somewhat questionable given the physical separation between the births that would have been required

            William’s service papers indicate that he was born in the Parish of Bedminster, near the town of Bristol, in the County of Somerset.  Today Bedminster is a district of Bristol, on the south side of the city. It is also the name of a council ward, which includes the central part of the district and some other areas.  Bedminster was once a small town in Somerset.  Parts of Bristol were to be found in South Gloucestershire and North Somerset; hence, the confusion regarding Dunsford’s birthplace as being in the county of Somerset or Gloucestershire. 

            William was baptized at St. Mary Redcliffe in Bristol.  At the time of his baptism the family was living at South Villa in Bedminster. 

Figure 1.  The Parish Church of St. Mary Redcliffe in Bristol, Gloucestershire.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)

            Additional members of the Dunsford family came along in rapid succession:[iii]

• James G. Dunsford (1860-1949), born in Bristol.
• Alfred Stansell Dunsford (1861-1944), born in Bedminster.
• Robert M. Dunsford (1862 - ?), born in Bristol.
• Alice Mary Dunsford (1864-1868), born in Bristol.  Young Mary died in July of 1868.

            The 1871 Census of England provides the following information regarding the Dunsford family:

1871 Census of England

NOTES:

1.      William’s and James’ middle initial, “G” in both cases, have been omitted from the census form.

2.      Working backwards from 1871, using the ages shown in the census, would indicate that Kate was born in 1858,
William in 1859, James in 1860 and Alfred in 1861.  James’ and Alfred’s birth years correspond to other known records;
however, there still appears to be a discrepancy with the birth years of Kate and William. 

      Before the next census was taken William had already joined the Army.  He appears in the 1881, 1901 and 1911 census as shown here:

·        1881: At Gillingham, Kent.  He is a 22-year old Sapper in the Royal Engineers in training at the School of Military Engineering (S.M.E.). 
The census was noted to be taken at Gillingham, but the S.M.E. actually was in Chatham.  His is not married at this time.

·         1891:  He is unmarried and serving in Ireland at this time.  No census return is available.

1901 Census of England

 1911 Census of England and Wales

NOTE: Somerset pops up again as his county of birth rather than Gloucestershire.

3.  PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

            At the time of his enlistment in the Army in 1880, W.G.M. Dunsford was described as follows:

 4.  ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING  

            William George Morris Dunsford enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Bristol on the 11^th of September 1880.  He was recruited by Company Sergeant Major W.H. White, presumably of the Royal Engineers.  His enlistment was for 8 years with the Colours and an additional 4 years in the 1^st Class Army Reserve.  On the day of his enlistment he was given a physical examination at Bristol and was declared fit for military service by Surgeon Major J.W. Hinton of the Army Medical Service.

            On the 13^th of September 1880 his Oath of Attestation was administered by Justice of the Peace Samuel Wills and was witnessed by one James Hunt.  The Field Officer of Royal Engineers in the Bristol recruiting area certified his enlistment and approved him for service in the Royal Engineers as 16712 Sapper William George Morris Dunsford.  At this time his reading and writing skills were noted to be “Good” and his arithmetic “Fair.”  In addition to his basic course of instruction in military engineering it was recommended that he receive specialized training as a Clerk.  Apparently he had worked as a Clerk prior to joining the Army and it was recognized that he had some skill in this trade. 

            Immediately following his attestation he was sent to the School of Military Engineering at Chatham where he was, as indicated by the 1881 Census.  His training was completed in just under a year and he was posted for service abroad. 

5.  ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

Egypt (1882)

            In 1881, while Dunsford was in training at Chatham, an Egyptian army officer, Ahmed ‘Urabi (then known in English as Arabi Pasha), mutinied and initiated a coup against Tewfik Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, because of grievances over disparities in pay between Egyptians and Europeans, as well as other concerns. In January 1882 the British and French governments sent a "Joint Note" to the Egyptian government, declaring their recognition of the Khedive's authority. On the 20^th of May 1882, British and French warships arrived off the coast of Alexandria. On the 11^th of June 1882, an anti-Christian riot occurred in Alexandria that killed 50 Europeans. Colonel ‘Urabi ordered his forces to put down the riot, but Europeans fled the city and ‘Urabi's army began fortifying the town. The French fleet was recalled to France. A British ultimatum was rejected and its warships began a 10½-hour bombardment of Alexandria on the 11^th of July 1882.  This situation led the British to sending a sizeable force to Egypt, a force that included the following engineer units:[v]

“A” (Bridging) Troop, R.E.

“C” (Telegraph) Troop, R.E.

8th Field Company, R.E.

17^th Field Company, R.E.

18^th Field Company, R.E.

“A” Company, Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners

“I” Company, Queen’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners

            Sapper Dunsford embarked for Egypt on the 4^th of August 1882.  He spent a total of only 40 days in Egypt with the 18^th Field Company under the command of Major William Salmond, R.E.[vi]  Dunsford’s company was employed at Ismailia where it acted as a reserve and established an Engineer Park for the engineer companies with the forward elements of the British forces.  For his service during the campaign Dunsford was awarded the Egypt 1882 Medal with no clasp and the Khedive’s Bronze Star, 1882.  According to Gordon,[vii] the Egypt 1882 Medal with no clasp was awarded to 103 members of the 18^th Field Company.

            As previously mentioned, the work of the 18^th Field Company at Ismailia consisted of establishing an Engineer Park in support of other engineer units.  This would involve the company receiving or acquiring tools, equipment and supplies needed for engineer field operations and storing these at Ismailia to be issued to other R.E. units or units of the Indian Sappers and Miners. 

Figure 2.  The Camp at Ismailia, Egypt where the 18^th Field Company
Established the Engineer Park.
(Postcard in the author’s collection)

Gibraltar (1882-1890)  

            Dunsford was awarded Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 1d. per day on the 11^th of September 1882, just two days before his company departed Egypt bound for Gibraltar.  The company landed on Malta and remained there for only 27 days.  On the 10^th of October 1882 the 18^th Field Company re-embarked and sailed for Gibraltar where Dunsford would be stationed for the next seven and a half years.  This was a rather long period of time for a soldier to remain at one station and it might be that Dunsford requested transfers to other units so that he could remain at Gibraltar.  During the time that he was there the 1^st, 5^th and 9^th Companies also were stationed on “The Rock.”  Unfortunately, Dunsford’s service papers give no evidence to indicate with which companies he may have served during that period. 

            Dunsford received his 2^nd Class Certificate of Education on the 27^th of March 1883 while serving at Gibraltar and his rewards for efficient service while stationed there included the following promotions and awards of good conduct pay:

Promoted to Lance Corporal:                         1 September 1884

Good Conduct Pay at 2d:                               11 September 1886

Promoted to Sergeant (Engineer Clerk):         29 April 1887

            On the 14^th of August 1888 Sergeant Dunsford extended his period of service to complete 12 years with the Colours.  His extension of service was noted in his military records by Lieutenant C.A. Leahy, R.E., under whose command presumably he was serving.[viii]

Ireland (1890-1893)

            On the 1^st of April 1890 Sergeant Dunsford departed Gibraltar bound for the UK.  Upon arrival there he was posted to Curragh Camp in Ireland.  While in Ireland he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major (Engineer Clerk) on the 1^st of October 1890.

            On the 10^th of September 1892 Company Sergeant Major Dunsford elected to re-engage to complete 21 years of service with the Colours.  His re-engagement declaration was witnessed by Superintending Clerk J. Burke, R.E. and was certified by his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel J.W. Savage, R.E.[ix]  Dunsford was determined to be medically fit to continue in service by Surgeon Captain J.H.A. Rhodes, Army Medical Service.

            Dunsford became eligible for Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 3d. on the day following the approval of his re-engagement to complete 21 years.

Malta (1893-1897)

            Dunsford was reassigned to Gibraltar on the 30^th of March 1893.  He and Miss Sarah Murrow (1865-1929) were married in the King’s Chapel on the 31^st of October 1895.

Figure 5.  The King’s Chapel, Gibraltar.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)  

            On the 11^th of September 1896 Company Sergeant Major Dunsford became eligible to receive Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 4d.

            The Dunsfords had one child while William was serving at Gibraltar, William Murrow Dunsford, born on the 7^th of December 1896.  Their son William would follow in his father’s footsteps and serve as a non-commissioned officer in the Royal Engineers.  He would see active service during the Great War of 1914-1918.

Aldershot (1897-1901)

            Company Sergeant Major Dunsford was posted home on the 5^th of December 1897 for his final assignment in the Army.  He and his family moved to Aldershot where he served on the Royal Engineers Supernumerary Staff.  Dunsford was authorized the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal by Army Order 7 of 1899 for his completion of 18 years of efficient service. 

            Dunsford’s wife gave birth to two sons while they were stationed at Aldershot; Edward Dunsford (1897-1988), born on the 17^th of July 1898 at Farnborough, Hampshire and Charles Morris Dunsford (1900-1901), born on the 4^th of June 1900 at Hartley Wintney, Hampshire.  Unfortunately, young Charles died on the 16^th of January 1901.  A daughter, Alice May Dunsford (1901-1990), was born on the 20^th of August 1901 at Farnborough.

Discharge

            William George Morris Dunsford was discharged from the Army at Aldershot on the 10^th of September 1901 upon termination of his second period of engagement.  At the time of his discharge he was 43 years and 3 months of age.  His description on discharge was the same as his description on enlistment except for the fact that his hair was grey. 

            Dunsford’s conduct and character were rated as “Exemplary” and he was described as being “a very experienced Engineer Clerk.”  Dunsford indicated that his intended place of residence after discharge was to be Lynchford Road in Farnborough.  As previously described in the 1901 Census of England, the family took up residence at Ramilles Barracks, in the Marlborough Lines at Aldershot.  The married quarters at Ramilles Barracks in the Marlborough Lines may have looked similar to those in Somerset Lines shown in the photograph below.

Figure 6.  Married Quarters in the Somerset Lines at Aldershot.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)

 6.  PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
a.  Promotions:  Dunsford received the following promotions during his time in service:

NOTE:  Dunsford’s performance of duty must have been exemplary for him to have passed over
the ranks of Corporal and Staff Sergeant. 

He was a Company Sergeant Major only 10 years and 20 days after his enlistment.  

b.      Appointments:  Dunsford received the following appointments during his time in service:

7. MILITARY TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

a.       Military Training: Dunsford received his basic military training at Chatham immediately after his enlistment and he also received specialized training as a Clerk.  

b.      Qualifications:  Dunsford’s trade as a Clerk in civilian life apparently qualified him to be an Engineer Clerk immediately upon enlisting in the Royal Engineers.  This qualification established him in this military trade for the remainder of his time in the Army.  This trade also appears to have kept him from seeing action in some of the small wars that took place during his time in service.  Except for the 40 days during the campaign in Egypt in 1882, Dunsford did not see any active service in any other campaign.

8.  MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS  

            Company Sergeant Major Dunford received the following medals, awards and decorations during his time in service:

Figure 7.  The Medals of Company Sergeant Major W.G.M. Dunsford, R.E.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)  

9.  RELEASE FROM SERVICE  

            Company Sergeant Major Dunsford was discharged from the Army on the 10^th of September 1901.  A summary of his service is shown in the tables below. 

 NOTE:  It is extraordinary for a soldier to serve at the same station abroad as Dunsford did in Gibraltar from 10 October 1882 to 31 March 1890(7 years and 173 days).  It is then even more extraordinary for him to serve an additional 4 years and 250 days, from 30 March 1893 to 4 December 1897, for a total of 12 years and 58 days on “The Rock” out of his total of 12 years and 125 days abroad.  It is possible that he took a liking to the place and volunteered for units that were either going to Gibraltar or that were remaining at Gibraltar after the unit to which he was assigned was posted elsewhere. The fact that he met and married his wife in Gibraltar could have had something to do with his second posting there, although it was unusual in the British Army of that period for an enlisted soldier, even a non-commissioned officer, to be able to affect his postings in this manner.

10.  POST SERVICE LIFE  

            As a member of the Royal Engineers Supernumerary Staff and a very experienced Engineer Clerk with an exemplary military record, it is very likely that Dunsford was kept on in a civilian capacity as an Engineer Clerk.  The 1901 and 1911 Census show him living with his family in the married quarters at Ramilles Barracks in Aldershot.  This may be another indication that he was employed by the Army in a civil capacity after his discharge and that he and his family were permitted to live in government-provided quarters.   

            William and Sarah had another son, George Dunsford (1905-1983) born on the 2^nd of April 1905 in Farnborough.  Their son George and his sister Alice May were both baptized on the same day (11 September 1905) at St. Marks Parish Church in Farnborough.  George was a relatively new-born, but Alice was already almost 4 years old before she was baptized.

Figure 8.  St. Marks Parish Church in Farnborough, Hampshire.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)  

            As indicated by the 1911 Census, William was employed as a Clerk working for the Royal Engineers and was living with his wife and four children in married quarters at Aldershot.  At some point he retired from his position at Aldershot and moved to a home in Portsmouth, Hampshire.  His wife Sarah passed away there in September of 1929 at the age of 64. 

            In 1932 at the age of 76, W.G.M. Dunsford married for a second time.  He married Clara Henrietta Cooper (1869-1962), a midwife, in Southampton.  In 1935 William and Clara were residing at 15 Bath Road in Emsworth, Hampshire.

Figure 9.  The Home at 15 Bath Road, Emsworth, Hampshire.
(Photograph courtesy of Google Earth)  

            William George Morris Dunsford died on the 15^th of April 1938 in Edinburgh, Scotland.  His residence was listed in the 1937 Probate Calendar as Whiteford House on Calton Road in Edinburgh.  Whiteford House appears to have been a veteran’s home.

Figure 10.  Whiteford House, Calton Road, Edinburgh.
(Photograph courtesy of Google Earth).  

            No information has been uncovered to determine whether Clara Dunsford was living with her husband at the time of his death.  His will was probated in Winchester on the 8^th of June 1937 with his effects of £139 9s being left to one Alfred Edward Sidney Johnson, an Army Pensioner.  Johnson may have been a soldier with whom Dunsford served during his time in the Army, or he could have been a resident and friend from the Whiteford House.  In any case, Clara Dunsford was not the recipient of Williams’s effects, which amounted to just over $15,000 in 2020 U.S. Currency.  

11.  ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION

Parents

            The date of death of William’s father, George Dunsford is unknown.  His mother Sarah Ann Dunsford died in Bristol in December of 1919. 

Siblings

            His sister Katherine Althea Dunsford married John Charles Belton in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire in October of 1886.  She had one son.  Katharine died in Chester, Cheshire in March of 1935.

            His brother James G. Dunsford married Sarah Selina Wilson on the 28^th of March 1894 in West Bromwich, Derbyshire.  They had two daughters.  James died on the Isle of Wight in March of 1949.  He had no record of military service.

            His brother Alfred Stansell Dunsford married Annie Maud Davies in Bristol in 1885.  They had two sons and a daughter.  Alfred died in Bristol in June of 1944.  He had no record of military service.

            His brother Robert M. Dunsford may not have married.  His date of death is unknown.  He had no record of military service.

            His sister Alice Mary Dunsford died in Bristol at the age of 4 year and 6 months.

Children

            As previously mentioned, his son William Murrow Dunsford also served in the Royal Engineers and saw active service in the Great War of 1914-1918.  He served from 1915 to 1936 and died in Rochester, Kent in 1979.           

            His son Edward Dunsford married Elsie May Grove in Croydon, Surrey in 1923.  They did not have any children.  He died on the 16^th of February 1988 at Hayling Island, Hampshire.

            His son Charles Morris Dunsford died at Hartley Wintney, Hampshire at the age of seven months.

            His daughter Alice May Dunsford married Edward Arthur Vickery at Portsmouth in 1925.  They did not have any children.  Alice died in Camberley, Surrey on the 10^th of September 1990.

            His son George Dunsford married Norah Henbest in Surrey in March of 1945.  They did not have any children.  George died in Poole, Dorset on the 20^th of June 1983.

REFERENCES:  

Books  

1. CONNOLLY, T.W.J.  Roll of Officers of the Corps of Royal Engineers.  Royal Engineers Institute, Chatham, Kent, 1898.
2. GORDON, L.L.  British Battles and Medals, 4^th Revised Edition.  Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1971.

Census  

1. 1871 Census of England (RG 10/2538).
2. 1881 Census of England (RG 11/897).
3. 1901 Census of England (RG 13/1105).
4. 1911 Census of England.

Documents  

The Midwives Roll, 1935, p. 418.  

Family Trees  

1. Family Tree Page:  George Dunsford.
2. Family Tree Page: William George Morris Dunsford.

Internet Web Sites  

1. British Conquest of Egypt, 1882.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Conquest_of_Egypt_(1882)

2. Google Earth.

Maps  

Motorists Atlas of Great Britain.  The Automobile Association, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 1984.  

Medal Roll  

Royal Engineers Medal Roll, Egypt 1882, WO 100/56, dated 28 October 1882.  

Probate Calendars  

Probate calendar, 1937, p. 207.  

Soldiers Service Papers  

1.      Army Form B. 97.  Attestation Papers

2.      Description on Enlistment

3.      Statement of Services

4.      Military History Sheet

5.      Army Form O. 1724. Re-Engagement Papers

6.       Army Form B. 268.  Proceedings on Discharge

ENDNOTES