Dennis Donnini
Encyclopedia
Dennis Donnini VC
(17 November 1925 - 18 January 1945) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
-born Alfred Donnini and his English wife Catherine (née Brown), on 17 November 1925 in Easington
. His father owned an ice cream parlour in Easington and attended Corby Grammar School
in Sunderland, now known as St. Aidans School.
in the 4/5th Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, British Army
during the Second World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 18 January 1945 during Operation Blackcock
, Fusilier Donnini's platoon was ordered to attack the small village of Stein in The Netherlands, close to the German border. On leaving their trench they immediately came under heavy fire from a house and the fusilier was hit in the head. After recovering consciousness he charged 30 yards down the open road and hurled a grenade
through the nearest window, whereupon the enemy fled pursued by Fusilier Donnini and the survivors of his platoon. He was wounded a second time, but continued firing his Bren gun until he was killed after the grenade he was carrying, was hit by a bullet and exploded. His gallantry had enabled his comrades to overcome twice their own number of the enemy.
Donnini at 19 was the youngest soldier in World War II to be awarded the VC
He is buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Sittard
, The Netherlands
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(17 November 1925 - 18 January 1945) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Early life
Dennis Donnini was born to ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-born Alfred Donnini and his English wife Catherine (née Brown), on 17 November 1925 in Easington
Easington, County Durham
Easington is a town in eastern County Durham, England. It comprises the ancient village of Easington Village and the ex-mining town of Easington Colliery, which are separate civil parishes. It is located at the junction of the A182 leading north-west to Hetton-le-Hole. Seaham Harbour and...
. His father owned an ice cream parlour in Easington and attended Corby Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Sunderland, now known as St. Aidans School.
Details
Donnini was 19 years old, and a fusilierFusilier
Fusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation.-History:...
in the 4/5th Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 18 January 1945 during Operation Blackcock
Operation Blackcock
Operation Blackcock was the code name for the clearing of the Roer Triangle formed by the towns of Roermond, Sittard and Heinsberg. It was conducted by the 2nd British Army in January 1945 between 14 and 26 January 1945. The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the Rivers Rur and...
, Fusilier Donnini's platoon was ordered to attack the small village of Stein in The Netherlands, close to the German border. On leaving their trench they immediately came under heavy fire from a house and the fusilier was hit in the head. After recovering consciousness he charged 30 yards down the open road and hurled a grenade
Mills bomb
Mills bomb is the popular name for a series of prominent British hand grenades. They were the first modern fragmentation grenades in the world.-Overview:...
through the nearest window, whereupon the enemy fled pursued by Fusilier Donnini and the survivors of his platoon. He was wounded a second time, but continued firing his Bren gun until he was killed after the grenade he was carrying, was hit by a bullet and exploded. His gallantry had enabled his comrades to overcome twice their own number of the enemy.
Donnini at 19 was the youngest soldier in World War II to be awarded the VC
He is buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Sittard
Sittard
Sittard is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands.On the east Sittard borders on Germany . It has some 48,400 inhabitants . Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen...
, The Netherlands
External links
- Battle for the Roermond Triangle - revised version 2004 at www.operation-blackcock.com