Photo: Allan and Christine Weir

Memorial Plaque

'V' Beach from the SS Clyde

Special Order of the day GOC Major-General Lawrie

Sketch Map of RND Field Hospital Gallipoli

Maurice Dack was born on the 19th April 1897, at the 'Druids Arms', 43 City Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was the son of John William Dack, Dockyard Labourer, born Bintree, Norfolk, 1872, and his wife Elizabeth Dack, nee Warrant, born Newcastle, 1873, who married in 1896. In 1891 she was residing with her parents Maurice, who died in 1873, and Catherine, at 14 Wall Knoll in Newcastle.

Maurice was one of seven children, but only two survived, the other was his younger sister Mary, born 1903.

By 1911, the family had moved to 16 Buxton Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Maurice, by this time age 13, was at school. He became a Grocer's Assistant.

Maurice enlisted on the 17th May 1915, at Newcastle, and was sent to Crystal Palace on the 24th May 1915.

He was 5 feet 6 1/4 inches high, fair complexion, fair hair and blue eyes. He had small mole on his chest. He stated his religion as Roman Catholic.

On the 22nd June 1915, he was drafted from the 4th Battalion Depot to the 1st Reserve Battalion at Blandford. He was then drafted to the Drake Battalion on the 20th August 1915. Divisional Order no 79 dated 5th September 1915.

Over 2000 men initially had enlisted from Durham and Northumberland who came from the mining districts had enlisted some accidentally into the Naval Division due to some part in the breakdown of the arrangements for their accommodation in the North, from August 1914. More voluntary enlisted till almost one third of the division came from these same mining villages. Partly due to the fine reputation that the already enlisted men had given the division

On 28th February, after an earlier Divisional inspection in the month, by Winston Churchill, the First Sea Lord, the division marched out of Blandford Camp, except for the partially trained Collingwood Battalion, the Third Field Company of Engineers who were by now at Blandford but untrained, Hawke and Benbow Battalions [still at Crystal Palace], by Black Lane to the station.

The next day the troops embarked at Avonmouth and sailed the same day. The Drake Nelson and Deal Battalions were travelling onboard the Franconia other units were on the Braemar Castle, the Gloucester Castle, Grantully Castle as well as the Minnetonka and the Astrian.

On February the 15th, the British Cabinet decision was made to send forces to the Near East. They were to be part of the MEF, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, to force a passage for the fleet by seizing the Gallipoli peninsula.

The division reached Malta then on to Mudros Harbour. On March 18th the Division sailed out of the harbour eastwards. They arrived off the western shore of the peninsular at 5.30 am on the 19th.

Two hours later the Naval Division was ordered to return to Lemnos.

They then went to Port Said. Some units of the 1st and 2nd Naval Brigades were also sent to Kantara, for a 'reported attack' on the canal defences, this however proved to be nothing more than a reconnaissance in force of about 60 Turkish mounted men!

On the 8th April the first Naval Division Transport sailed for Mudros. The Drake Battalion were on board the Franconia. Then proceeded to Trebuki Bay, Seyros. The Drake Battalion was landed as part of the Divisional Reserve at 8.30 pm on April the 26th. They dug in on the night of the 28/29th, at Achibaba, on a line nearly a mile beyond the gully on the left, but bending back to our original position in the centre and on the left. No sooner were they dug in, the French were then driven back by the Turkish almost to Sedd-el-bahr, [two Drake compamies had to be withdrawn to guard General Weston's Headquarters above 'W' Beach].

Maurice Dack was wounded on the 23rd September with a Gunshot wound in his right thigh, his next of Kin was informed on the 7th October. He was then admitted to the 1st Field Ambulance RND, on the 28th September, he was disembarked at Malta from HMHS Ausonia to the Tigne Hospital. From the 10th October, Maurice was aboard the HMHS Dunluce Castle invalided home to the UK. Then was recovering at the Haslar Hospital from the 19th October.

Medical Reports 15590, 1400 and 13659 refer.

On the 10th December 1915, he was discharged from the Hospital declared fit for duty. He was given 28 days leave from the 11th December 1915.

In May 1916, Maurice was attached to 'B' Company the 2nd Drake Battalion at Blandford, on the 31st July he left Blandford for the 1st Drake Battalion, now with the British Expeditionary Force in France, he disembarked at Boulogne from the HMT Queen on the 1st August and arrived at the Infantry Base Depot at Etaples on the 2nd August 1916. Then was in the 3rd Entrenching Battalion based at the RND Base depot at Calais. He re-joined the Drake Battalion on the 15th November 1916. On the 19th February 1917, Maurice was admitted to the 3rd Base Stationery Hospital at Rouen suffering from 'Severe Diarrhoea', released on the 23rd February, he then returned back 'Class A' to the RND Base Depot at Calais. Re-joined the Battalion in the field on the 10th March 1917 from the base Depot.

On the night of the 14/15th of April, the Naval Division came up to the right of the 2nd Division who took over the sector due west of Gavrelle, which was a village in the German third position which had resisted all attacks.

The attack on Gavrelle commenced on the 23rd April and was carried out by the 189th and 190th Brigades. At 4.45 a.m. Nelson and Drake battalions went over the top under cover of an artillery barrage. The first line of German trenches was quickly taken, and an hour later the attack was ceased at the edge of the village.

The artillery barrage was relocated across the village, which was reduced to rubble. Other battalions from the brigade were moved forward. House to house fighting led to the taking of Gavrelle, at the cost of 1,500 casualties.

On the 23rd April Maurice Dack was reported Missing, and the NOK was informed, [the Newcastle Journal Saturday 26/05/1917 lists M. Dack as missing].

The Red Cross made enquiries and was included in the Red Cross Missing Rolls list.

A missing circular was sent to his parents in October 1917, advising them he was still missing. After extensive enquiries official death date of the 23rd April was accepted.

His parents received a War Gratuity of £11.00 in May 1919.

Maurice Dack is remembered at Newcastle in NUT086 and on NUT197

The War Memorial to the Naval Division
The Arras Offensive
The (63rd) Royal Naval Division Sailors in the trenches
The CWGC entry for Able Seaman Dack