Casgliadau Arlein

British War Medal awarded to Sergeant Sydney James Dunning of the 2nd Battalion, the Wiltshire Regiment.

The medal was awarded to British and Imperial forces who served during the First World War between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.

Sydney James Dunning was born in Swansea on 8th August 1874. He joined the Wiltshire Regiment in 1893. He served in Burma (now Myanmar), India and Pakistan, and then in South Africa in 1902 during the Boer War. He left the army in 1909, moving to Treforest, Pontypridd in 1912.

He re-enlisted with the Wiltshire Regiment following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. After a year and a half of training, he joined the 2nd Battalion in France in 1916. Over the next two years he served at the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Arras, and Flanders. He distinguished himself during the Battle of Pilkem and was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 7th November 1917. His actions during the German Spring Offensive in March 1918 were recognised by the awarding of the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

Following the War, he returned to Treforest and worked as a collier in Nantgarw Colliery. He married Laura Ann Andrews in 1917 and had three children, but Laura died in 1919. He married her sister Rose Elle, who was also widowed, later that year. Together they had five children and raised the nine children they had from their previous marriages. As a hobby Sydney kept racing pigeons. He died at home in 1948.

This medal was generously donated to Amgueddfa Cymru by Lavinia J Bates, Sydney Dunning’s granddaughter.