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{{Short description|English recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
{{For|the former Australian rules football coach and player|John Dimmer (coach)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|name=John Henry Stephen Dimmer
|name=John Henry Stephen Dimmer
|lived=9 October 1883 – 21 March 1918 (aged 34)
|birth_date=9 October 1883
|death_date= 21 March 1918 (aged 34)
|birth_place= [[Lambeth]], [[London]]
|birth_place= [[Lambeth]], [[Surrey]], England
|death_place= Marteville, France
|death_place= Marteville, France
|placeofburial=Vadencourt British Cemetery, [[Maissemy]]
|placeofburial=Vadencourt British Cemetery, [[Maissemy]]
|image=Lieut John Dimmer VC King's Royal Rifle Corps.jpg
|image=[[Image:VCJohnHenryStephenDimmer.jpg|175px]]
|image_size= 165
|caption=
|caption=Dimmer on a [[cigarette card]]
|nickname=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{UK}}
|allegiance={{UK}}
|serviceyears=
|serviceyears=1902 – 1918
|rank=[[Lieutenant Colonel]]
|rank=[[Lieutenant Colonel]]
|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}
|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}
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|unit=[[King's Royal Rifle Corps]]
|unit=[[King's Royal Rifle Corps]]
|battles= [[World War I]]
|battles= [[World War I]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[Military Cross]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[Military Cross]]<br>[[Mentioned in despatches]]<ref name="fields">Paul Oldfield: ''Victoria Crosses on the Western Front August 1914- April 1915: Mons to Hill 60'', Pen and Sword, 2014, p. 191</ref>
|laterwork=
|laterwork=
}}
}}
[[File:Tomb of John Dimmer (Vadencourt British Cemetery.).jpg|right|thumb|Grave of John Dimmer]]
Lieutenant Colonel '''John Henry Stephen Dimmer''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] [[Military Cross|MC]] (9 October 1883 &ndash; 21 March 1918) was an [[England|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 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.
Lieutenant Colonel '''John Henry Stephen Dimmer''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VC|MC}} (9 October 1883 &ndash; 21 March 1918) was an [[England|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 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.


==Life==
⚫
Born on 9 October 1883, Dimmer was 31 years old, married,<ref name=cwgc>[http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2939343 Dimmer, John Henry Stephen], Commonwealth War Graves Commission</ref> and a [[lieutenant]] in the 2nd Battalion, The [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]], and was awarded the VC for his actions on 12 November 1914 at [[Klein Zillebeke]], [[Belgium]].
Born on 9 October 1883 in [[Lambeth]], his family moved to [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]] where Dimmer was educated at [[Rutlish School]], [[Merton Park]]. In July 1902 he enlisted into the [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]] (KRRC), and was soon promoted to Corporal, then to Lance Sergeant. In 1906 he passed an officer's examination and was commissioned [[second lieutenant]] in the KRRC. Lack of financial backing meant he could not afford to serve with the regiment,<ref name=VConline/> and in 1908 he was attached to the West Africa Regiment as a local Lieutenant.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28158|date=14 July 1908|page=5135}}</ref>


Dimmer was on home leave when the First World War broke out, and he went to France with the 2nd KRRC in August 1914.<ref name=VConline/>
⚫
==Citation==
⚫
{{quote|This Officer served his machine gun during the attack on the 12 November at Klein Zillebeke until he had been shot five times - three times by shrapnel and twice by bullets, and continued at his post until his gun was destroyed|The London Gazette, 19 November 1914<ref name=cwgc/>}}


⚫
===Citation===
Dimmer later achieved the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]]. He was [[killed in action]] at Marteville, [[France]] on 21 March 1918.
⚫
A 31 year old [[lieutenant]] in the 2nd Battalion, The [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]], Dimmer was awarded the VC for his actions on 12 November 1914 at [[Klein Zillebeke]], [[Belgium]].


⚫
{{quote|This Officer served his machine gun during the attack on the 12 November at Klein Zillebeke until he had been shot five times – three times by shrapnel and twice by bullets, and continued at his post until his gun was destroyed|The London Gazette, 19 November 1914<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28980|date=17 November 1914 |page=9513|supp=y}}</ref>}}
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Royal Green Jackets Museum]], [[Winchester, England]].

Dimmer was also [[mentioned in dispatches]] in October 1914,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28942|date=16 October 1914|page=8356|supp=y}}</ref> and was one of the first recipients of the [[Military Cross]], in January 1915.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29024|date=29 December 1914|page=8|supp=y}}</ref>

===Later war service===
After recovering from his wounds, Dimmer served as a [[brigade major]] from January 1915,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29043|date=15 January 1915|page=592|supp=y}}</ref> and in April 1915 was promoted captain.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29170|date=21 May 1915|page=4997|supp=y}}</ref> After service in [[Macedonian front|Salonika]], Greece,<ref name=VConline/> he was seconded to the [[Machine Gun Corps]] from May<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29874|date=19 December 1916|page=12454|supp=y}}</ref> to November 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30320|date=2 October 1917|page=10238|supp=y}}</ref> He was promoted to temporary Lieutenant Colonel in January 1918,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30463|date=4 January 1918|page=468|supp=y}}</ref> and was [[killed in action]] at Marteville, [[France]] on 21 March 1918 while commanding the 2nd/4th battalion of the [[Royal Berkshire Regiment]]. His body was missing until 1920, when it was buried at Vadencourt British Cemetery in [[Maissemy]].<ref name="fields"/><ref name=cwgc>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2939343 Dimmer, John Henry Stephen], Commonwealth War Graves Commission</ref>

===Marriage===
On 19 January 1918, two months before his death, Dimmer married Gladys Dora May Parker in the Moseley Parish Church. The couple had no children. After Dimmer's death, his wife remarried to [[Leopold Ernest Stratford George Canning, 4th Baron Garvagh|Leopold Canning]], a [[Royal Flying Corps]] lieutenant and future president of the [[British Fascists|British Fascisti]].<ref name="fields"/>

== Awards ==
* [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|80x80px]] Victoria Cross
* [[File:Military Cross ribbon.png|80x80px]] Military Cross
Dimmer's Victoria Cross and other medals are displayed at the [[Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum]], [[Winchester]], England.<ref name=VConline>{{cite web|url=https://victoriacrossonline.co.uk/john-henry-stephen-dimmer-vc-mc/|title=John Dimmer VC: biography|website=VConline.org.uk |date=2 February 2022 |accessdate=7 August 2024}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Bibliography==
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (''This England'', 1997)
*[[VCs of the First World War - 1914]] (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)
*[[VCs of the First World War - 1914]] (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)


{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Dimmer, John Henry Stephen
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 9 October 1883
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Lambeth]], [[London]]
| DATE OF DEATH = 21 March 1918
| PLACE OF DEATH = Marteville, France
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dimmer, John Henry Stephen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dimmer, John Henry Stephen}}
[[Category:1883 births]]
[[Category:1883 births]]
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[[Category:People from Lambeth]]
[[Category:People from Lambeth]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:British colonial army officers]]
[[Category:Royal West African Frontier Force officers]]
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]

[[Category:Royal Berkshire Regiment officers]]

[[Category:Military personnel from Surrey]]
{{UK-army-bio-stub}}
[[Category:People educated at Rutlish School]]

Latest revision as of 15:11, 7 December 2024

For the former Australian rules football coach and player, see John Dimmer (coach).

John Henry Stephen Dimmer
Dimmer on a cigarette card
Born9 October 1883
Lambeth, Surrey, England
Died21 March 1918 (aged 34)
Marteville, France
Buried
Vadencourt British Cemetery, Maissemy
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1902 – 1918
RankLieutenant Colonel
UnitKing's Royal Rifle Corps
Battles / warsWorld War I
AwardsVictoria Cross
Military Cross
Mentioned in despatches[1]
Grave of John Dimmer

Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Stephen Dimmer VC MC (9 October 1883 – 21 March 1918) 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.

Life

[edit]

Born on 9 October 1883 in Lambeth, his family moved to Wimbledon where Dimmer was educated at Rutlish School, Merton Park. In July 1902 he enlisted into the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC), and was soon promoted to Corporal, then to Lance Sergeant. In 1906 he passed an officer's examination and was commissioned second lieutenant in the KRRC. Lack of financial backing meant he could not afford to serve with the regiment,[2] and in 1908 he was attached to the West Africa Regiment as a local Lieutenant.[3]

Dimmer was on home leave when the First World War broke out, and he went to France with the 2nd KRRC in August 1914.[2]

Citation

[edit]

A 31 year old lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, Dimmer was awarded the VC for his actions on 12 November 1914 at Klein Zillebeke, Belgium.

This Officer served his machine gun during the attack on the 12 November at Klein Zillebeke until he had been shot five times – three times by shrapnel and twice by bullets, and continued at his post until his gun was destroyed

— The London Gazette, 19 November 1914[4]

Dimmer was also mentioned in dispatches in October 1914,[5] and was one of the first recipients of the Military Cross, in January 1915.[6]

Later war service

[edit]

After recovering from his wounds, Dimmer served as a brigade major from January 1915,[7] and in April 1915 was promoted captain.[8] After service in Salonika, Greece,[2] he was seconded to the Machine Gun Corps from May[9] to November 1916.[10] He was promoted to temporary Lieutenant Colonel in January 1918,[11] and was killed in action at Marteville, France on 21 March 1918 while commanding the 2nd/4th battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. His body was missing until 1920, when it was buried at Vadencourt British Cemetery in Maissemy.[1][12]

Marriage

[edit]

On 19 January 1918, two months before his death, Dimmer married Gladys Dora May Parker in the Moseley Parish Church. The couple had no children. After Dimmer's death, his wife remarried to Leopold Canning, a Royal Flying Corps lieutenant and future president of the British Fascisti.[1]

Awards

[edit]
  • Victoria Cross
  • Military Cross

Dimmer's Victoria Cross and other medals are displayed at the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, Winchester, England.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Paul Oldfield: Victoria Crosses on the Western Front August 1914- April 1915: Mons to Hill 60, Pen and Sword, 2014, p. 191
  2. ^ a b c d "John Dimmer VC: biography". VConline.org.uk. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  3. ^ "No. 28158". The London Gazette. 14 July 1908. p. 5135.
  4. ^ "No. 28980". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1914. p. 9513.
  5. ^ "No. 28942". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 October 1914. p. 8356.
  6. ^ "No. 29024". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1914. p. 8.
  7. ^ "No. 29043". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 January 1915. p. 592.
  8. ^ "No. 29170". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 May 1915. p. 4997.
  9. ^ "No. 29874". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 1916. p. 12454.
  10. ^ "No. 30320". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 October 1917. p. 10238.
  11. ^ "No. 30463". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 1918. p. 468.
  12. ^ Dimmer, John Henry Stephen, Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Bibliography

[edit]
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