Peabody, Dennis Evan

Age: 22
Date of birth: c1918

Parents: William Evan and Ethel Mary Peabody
Wife:
Address: 58 Millers Road, Warwick

Occupation: Worked at the Warwick Aviation Company

Dennis’ parents were William Evan and Ethel Mary Peabody and they married in 1914. Dennis was born in about 1917. His father William Evan (1884-1933) was a carpenter. He had served in the Royal Horse Artillery during WW1. He died aged 49 in 1933.

Dennis had seven siblings although two died as infants, Lillian (1918-1962), John (1920-1940), Bernard (1925-1963), David (1929-1967) and Audrey (1932-2016). According to the census of 1939 John’s mother Ethel Mary was a widow living at 58 Miller’s Road, doing unpaid domestic duties. Records show that she received an army pension for William. She died in 1980 in Warwick, aged 83

Dennis, and his brother John, were pupils at St Mary’s Roman Catholic School. Dennis was a promising middleweight boxer who was known as ‘Kid Evans’

John also fell and is commemorated on Warwick War Memorial

Military Service

Rank & Number: Private, 5111353
Regiment/Service: 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Brigade/Division: 145th Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division
Date of death: 19th May 1940
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action at Tournai
Commemorated/Buried: Commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France. Column 57
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: St Mary's Immaculate Roman Catholic Church

Dennis was killed along with 194 fellow soldiers from the regiment when their lorry convoy was attacked by enemy bombers.

His brother, John, also fell. His brother Bernard also fought in the war but survived.

He is commemorated at Dunkirk:

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Warwick Advertiser excerpts courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office

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