Duncan Cenotaph

As part of our project to document the names on the Duncan Cenotaph in Charles Hoey Park, here is a page about 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Geoffrey de Denne, who died 4 October 1917 near Ypres in Belgium while serving with the Wiltshire Regiment. [Note: the news report below says he was serving with the Wiltshire Regiment. but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website shows him serving with the 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.]

He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Tyne Cote Memorial,  West Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Here is the local Cowichan Leader newspaper report of the death of 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Geoffrey de Denne:

“Lieut. T.G. de Denne

Second Lieut. Thomas G. de Denne, Wiltshire Regiment, laid down his life in France on Oct. 4 last. he was the youngest son of Dr. and Mrs. T.V. de Denne, Sidmouth, Devonshire and was born at that place. He came to Canada in May, 1908 and in Cowichan worked for Mr. E.F.L. Henslowe, then for Mr. D. Alexander at farming, and finally for the Bazett-Bell Co. Ltd., Duncan. he was a member of Court Alpha, A.O.F., Duncan. He enlisted in September, 1914, passed through the 50th Regt., 30th Bn., C.E.F. and, after serving with the 7th Bn. in France, was wounded in the face with shrapnel, early in 1916. After recovery he passed through the Officers’ Training corps and was posted to the Wiltshires. Reference to him as being one of the few remaining Cowichan boys formerly in the 8th platoon, 7th Bn., was made only last week in The Leader.”

(Source: Cowichan Leader, 8 November 1917, from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives files) 

Here is more information about Thomas Geoffrey de Denne:

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