WW1 Military Medal and Bar Casualty Medal Group of Three – Sjt. P. Dolman, 1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders – K.I.A. 1/10/18

The War Diary for the 1st Gordons for 21st March to 11th April records the
following: 

Wancourt Sector:

21/3/18: Misty, damp til 10am afterwards weather fine and sunny. Great enemy offensive begins on our right. Our front quiet except for heavy enemy barrage. 

21st to 29th already recorded

30th Btatalion after being relieved from Neuville Vitasse by 21st Battn Canadian Inf marched to RIVIERE and was in their billets by 8:30am. After a hot breakfast all ranks slept til 12:30pm then had dinners at 2:30pm. Battn march off for WARLUZEL route BEAMETZ, les LOGES Gouy EN ARTOIS SOMBRIN. Although it rained all the time and the roads were heavy the distance about 15 kilometers . The men marched well and were in good spirits. Only 5 men fell out. 

Battn reached WARLUZEL at 7:30pm. A draft of 63 OR joined here. The total distance that day was about 29 kilomteres and this after 7 days continous fighting and 52 days in the trenches 

31/3/18 Day of resting and getting cleaned up

There follows a 20 page report of the actions of the 21st to 29th March. 

The 1st to 11th April saw the battalion marching around and did not see any action during this period and so therefore Percy’s MM must be for the action between 21st and 29th March. 

The Burton observer Saturday July 26 1918 reported the award of the MM

Two more Burton Military Medallists appear in the latest issue of the London Gazette. …. And Corporal P Dolman Gordon Highlanders 

Percy was reported wounded in the War office weekly casualty list July 2nd 1918. 

His Bar appears to be for the Battle of Amiens for gallantry between 8th August to 6th September 1918.

The battalion did not see any
action in August until 21^st:

Ayette 21/08/1918

At zero hour (4.50am) the
battn moved forward in column of route through a dense mist for about a mile
and on breasting? The ridge west QUESNOY FARM split up into artillery
formation. The advance was made in previously arranged bounds and came into
action between battn and bde hqrs and maintained that front. Owing to the mist
it was not possible to see further than about 100 x- about 11am the mist
lifted- by this time the Battn had reached the valley west of COURCELLES but
the railway embankment had not been taken and the forward coys were therefore
took up their position in a SUNKEN ROAD about 300 x west of where they were
supposed to occupy- some MG and shell fire during the day- in the vening A and
D Coys went to cooperate in an attack on the RAILWAY EMBANKMENT just North of
ACHIET LE GRAND with 63^rd Division on the right- about 7pm it was
discovered that the attack on the right had taken place and was unsuccessful.

At the request however of
the OC ANSON BATTN 53^RD DIV (the next bn on the right) the attack
was undertaken and launched over the ridge about 1500 x short of the embankment
about 7-30pm- there weas no artillery support- hostile machine gun, rifle and
artillery fire was very intense and the attack was held up half way down the
forward slope, about 50% casualtioes being sustained and the commanding
officer(Lt Col RA Wall Murray DSO MC) was wounded while personally leading the
charge.

22/8/18 Battn rested all day- Major Pearson came up and took over command.
The battn moved up after dark with the remainder of the Bde to assembly
positions for attack on GOMIECOURT the following morning. The Battn was to
guard the right flank of the attack to be delivered by the two other Battns of
the Bde as the taking of GOMICOURT alone would make a pronounced salient in our
line- enemy was found to have a MG in the assembly positon for the two flanking
coys and this had to be dislodged before the assembly.

23/08/18 When the attack started the two right flank coys met some
oppositon on the RAILWAY EMBANKMENT halfway to their objective and were exposed
to considerable MG fire from their right and right rear- they dug in however
well on the flank and undoubtedly saved a large number of casualties in the
assaulting Battns. The 2^nd division went through at 11am and this
releived the pressure- about 4pm the battn moved forward to a position just SE
of GOMICOURT and dug themselves in- the night passed quietly on the front
except for some gas shelling between the village and the RAILWAY EMBANKMENT.

24/08/18 Battn rested all day- movement being kept down to the minimum
owing to being in view from GAHAGNIES and SAPIGNIES about one mile in front-
the Battn was withdrawn about 8.30pm to the PURPLE LIINE west of DOUCHY where
they rested in open trenches.

25/08/18 The battn rested all date- heavy rain fell

26/08/18 fine day- battn moved in the evening to trenches situated in
front of HAMLINCOURT

27/08/18 During the day the enemy shelled intermittently round about the
battn area and HAMLINCOURT

28/08/18 on the night of the 28^th inst the Battn moved forward
from the trenches in front of HAMLINCOURT and relieved the 2^nd
Grenadiers in the front line SW of ECOUST

29/08/18 Battn pushed out patrols to keep in touch with the enemy- one
platoon of the left coy advanced too far and was practically wiped out by MG
fire from the flank- The battn was to cooperate with the 8^th West
Yorks (62 Div) in a small operation but owing to the very limited time for
assembly purposes the venture did not take place

30/08/18 The Battn advanced in conjunction with the 2ns Suffolkj Regt who
took ECOUST on our left but owing to the troops on the left having to fall back
under a heavy counter attack our left coy was left up in the air and they
suffered heavy casualties- on the right the battn reached its objective with
very few casualties. The battn dug in and consolidated the position- the
brigade were relieved at night with the exception of the Battn and 1 coy of the
8 KORL Regt who came under the orders of the GOC 9^th Brigade

31/08/18 The 9^th Bde attacked on a 3 battalion front in the
morning- ECOUST was retaken- The Battn gaines its objectives and dug in- the
a/adjutant (Capt H S Gammell MC) was killed while reconnoitring with a view to
moving some other troops into position preparatory to the attack.

03/09/18- Battn withdrawn at 1am and marched back to rest trenches between
MOYENVILLE and AYETTE arriving 5am.

At some point during this action, Percy Dolman would be awarded a Bar to
his Military Medal.

A report in the Burton Observer on Saturday September 28 1918 gave notice
of the award of the award of the Bar to the MM:

SERGT P DOLMAN MM
WINS A BAR

Mrs Dolman, formerly
of Calais Road has received the gratifying news that her son, Sergeant P Dolman
MM has been awarded the Bar to his MM. His Officer writes to tell her that her
son ‘’is a fine soldier, and one worth reognition. We have watched his career
keenly since the Somme Battle 1916. Sergt Dolman is only 20 years of age, and
at the time of winning the MM was the youngest man in Burton to gain the
distinction.

Sadly, within the next 4 weeks Percy Dolman would lose his life during the
capture of Rumilly in tragic circumstances.

Tha attack on RUMILLY assisted by the Suffolk Regiment was a huge success;
a report from the LT Col Commanding the 1^st Gordons noted:

At about 11pm on Sept 30^th orders were received that the 76^th
Inf Bde would attack RUMILLY and the enemy positions South East of it at 6am on
the 1^st Oct…….. The 76^th Inf Bde was to attack and
capture a line from G11to G23 including the village of RUMILLY…… The 1^st
Bn The Gordon Highrs were to be in support…..The Barrage opened at 6am.
Throughout the operation it was extremely ragged and many casualties were thus
caused to our own men.

The attack was completely successful and about 80 prisoners were captured
including a Battalion commander. A large number of machine guns have since been
found in the village. Elements of the enemy still remained but they were
captured or escaped during the night. A position was consolidated North of the
village and placed under command of CAPT GILLESPIE MC as CAPT PRESTON MC had
been wounded. Casualties were suffered as follows: One officer killed, one
wounded, One Sgt Killed, two wounded one of whom is dying of
wounds…..  

These casualties were all inflicted by our own shells falling
short

Research has shown two Serjeants of the 1^st Gordons listed by
the CWGC who died between 1^st and 3^rd October 1918. These
are Percy Dolman and S/7400 T Johnston who died on 2^nd October 1918.
Presumably Serjeant Johnston is the Serjeant wounded and who was dying of his
wounds. The Serjeant killed being Percy Dolman.

Having been awarded the Military Medal twice, Percy Dolman was to be
killed 5 weeks from the end of the war by his own artillery shells. He was a
month short of his 21^st Birthday.

It didn’t take long for news to reach home. The first report I have been
able to find is dated Saturday October 19^th 1918, published in the
Burton Observer:

SERGT P DOLMAN KILLED

Mrs Dolman 71 High
Bank Road has received the distressing news that her son, Sergt Percy Dolman,
Gordon Highlanders, has been killed in action. Mrs Dolman has had a letter from
the Lieut- Colonel in which he says ‘’Sergt Dolman was killed on October 1^st
while leading his men in the attack on a village which had resisted the attacks
of another battalion during the whole day. In the evening the company to which
your son belonged was ordered to attack it, and it was very largely due to his
gallantry that the attack was successful. The company had been fighting all day
before the attack took place. Through it all your son had done splendidly. He
was a very gallant fellow’’ Sergt Dolman went abroad 3 years ago, and was then
only 17 years of age. Prior to joining the forces he was employed by Messrs T
Salt and Co. ,Mrs Dolman has two other sons serving

 

A further report in The Burton Observer Saturday October 26 1918 gave a
report of his death:

THE LATE SERGEANT P
DOLMAN

MM

Mrs Dolman of 71 High
Bank Road, Winshill, has received a letter from he chaplain with reference to
the death of her son, Sergeant P Dolman MM who was killed instantaneously on
October 1^st, being struck by 
a piece of shell, which exploded in the vicinity. The Battalion was
advancing at the time to take a German position. The rev gentleman says that
unquestionably he was one of the bravest brightest and best, being active and
eager, trustworthy and brave. He inspired bravery in the men he led. We admired
him for his soldierly qualities, but also we loved him for himself, for as a
man he won our affection and esteem and as a man and soldier he has left behind
him in his short life a record of which a mother may well be proud. He was
buried, along with two officers killed in the same action, with military
honours.

What is amazing is that Percy
has a substantial write up in De Rivignys Roll of Honour, which offers a great
insight into his life:

Dolman Percy MM: Sergt No
10402 1^st Battn (75^th Foot) The Gordon Highlanders, S of
George Dolman, of 71 High Bank, Winshill, Burton on Trent. Joiner by his wife
Mary Jane, dau of the late James Cliff. B Burton on Trent, co Stafford 27 Nov
1897, educ Guild Street Boys School; enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders 6 May
1915: served with the Expeditionary Force in Flanders from Dec 1915: was
wounded and invalided home in June 1917: returned to France the following Aug:
was badly gassed in June, 1918 and sent to hospital at the base and was killed
in action south-west of Cambrai 1 Oct following. Buried at Ribecourt. His
commanding office wrote…. He was killed while leading his men in the attack on
a village which had resisted attacks of another battalion during the whole day.
In the evening the company to which your son belonged was ordered to attack it,
and it was very largely due to his gallantry that the attack was successful.
The company had been fighting all day before the attack took place, and through
it all your son had done splendidly. He was a very gallant fellow, and his
death leaves a gap in the rank which is impossible to fill’’ and the Chaplain
‘’He was active and eager, trustworthy and brave. In camp he carried out every
duty efficiently And well and in the field he had no fear and brave himself he
inspired bravery in the men he led… As a man and a soldier he has left behind
him in his short life a record of which a mother may well be proud’’

He was awarded the
Military Medal for gallantry in the field.

 A photo appears in in the Burton Observer and
South Derbyshire Weekly Mail Saturday November 2^nd 1918.

The story doesn’t end there.
The Burton Observer continues to provide reports on Percy when his MM was
presented to his mother.

Saturday April 12^th
1919

Another honour won by a soldier who was subsequently
killed; was the MM presented to Mrs Dolman of 71 High Bank Road, . Her son,
Sergeant Percy Dolman, of the 1^st Gordon Highlanders, was killed on
October 1^st. After unsuccessful attacks all day Dolman’s company in
the evening was ordered to attack, and it was largely through his gallantry
that the attack was successful

On the anniversary of his
death in 1919, the family posted a memorial to Percy again in the The Burton
Observer:

Saturday October 4 1919

ROLL OF HONOUR

DOLMAN- In loving memory of our dear son, Sergt Percy
Dolman MM (Pop) 1^st Batt Gordon Highlanders, who was killed in
action October 1^st 1918 at Guillecourt, France aged 20 years

Too dearly loved to be fogotten. Never shall his
memory fade- From his loving father

DOLMAN- In proud and loving memory of our dear
brother, Sergt Percy Dolman, MM (Pop) 1^st Batt Gordon Highlanders,
who fell in action at Guillecourt, France aged 20 years

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends

From his loving sister Gert, and brothers George and
Ern

Today, Percy Dolman lies buried in Ribecourt Railway Cemetery, he was
buried by his comrades in the small battlefield cemetery there.

His parents chose very
poignant words for his headstone:

ONLY A BOY YET A MAN LOVED BY ALL

The Dolman family would experience
further tragedy, this time during the second world war. Percy’s brother Ernest
would have a son, who he named Percy in memory of his brother; Percy was killed
in action on 6^th July 1944 aged 22. He was an air bomber on Halifax
JP287with 614 squadron and is buried in Austria.