THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT
DENNISTOUN George Hamilton
Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy, WW1
Home Guard Service WW2
CITATION
Distinguished Service Order
Gazetted 22 February 1916, p2077
For his services on the occasion of the destruction of the German gunboat Hermann von Wissmann at Spinxhaven, on Lake Nyasa on the 29th May 1915
Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire - Military
Gazetted 31 December 1946, p31
'The King has been graciously pleased, on the advice of His Majesty's New Zealand Ministers, to give orders for the following appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire'
Mention in Despatches
Gazetted
Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal
Case number 41451, Bronze Medal
At 1pm on the 29th September 1914, a man who was painting the side of a ship missed his footing and fell into the harbour at Wellington. Lieutenant Commander G.H DENNISTOUN, RN, plunged in from his ship, swam 50 to 60 yards and rescued the man.
Royal Humane Society of New Zealand Bronze Medal
Case number 389, Bronze Medal
On the morning of 29 September 1914, at Wellington, a man named DONNELLY was standing on a staging over the side of the Shaw Savill liner 'Karamea' painting ship. He endeavoured to reach the deck of the steamer, and in doing so either missed his footing or over-balanced and fell into the water. Immediately the cry "man overboard" was raised. Lieutenant Commander DENNISTOUN, RN, of HMNZ Transport No 4, 'Tahiti' was on the deck of his ship at the time and immediately plunged over the side as he stood, and swam to the drowning man's assistance, a distance of 50 to 60 yards. At the same time, St Clair JONES, a quartermaster on the 'Karamea', seeing DONNELLY's predicament, swam to the Lieutenant Commander's assistance. After a goo deal of trouble the two rescuers managed to pass a line round DONNELLY, and subsequently he was hauled aboard the ship in an exhausted condition. The spectators applauded the plucky action of the rescuers.
KNOWN AWARDS
Distinguished Service Order
Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE military)
1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Mention in DespatchesWar Medal 1939-45
New Zealand War Service Medal
Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal
Royal Humane Society of New Zealand Bronze Medal
NOTES
Born 23 September 1884, Torquay, England
Died 14 June 1977, Timaru, New Zealand
