The reason I researched this Soldier was because I found his grave in Hawarden Cemetery and I couldn’t find him on any local War Memorial, he must not be forgotten.
Edward Michael Dennan was born on the 2nd of February 1910, according to the Army Service records of his father Patrick Dennan, he was born in the Hawarden Registration District, but I believe he was born in Shotton. He had a brother Bernard, and the same source tells us that he was born on the 20th of October 1908.
He was the son of Patrick & Anne Dennan (nee Kelly) who had married at St. Mary’s Church in Flint on the 3rd of August 1908, but sadly Ann died in 1912.
They are seen on the 1911 census living at 5, Wepre View Terrace, Shotton, Flintshire. (4 rooms). – Patrick Dennan,27, is head of the household, he tells us that he had been married 3 years and he was born in Longford, Ireland. There is a blank where his occupation should have been. Ann Dennan, 23, tells us that she was born in St. Helen’s, Lancashire and 2 children had been born to her and they were still living. Their sons Bernard, 2 and ½ years and Edward, 1, had been born in Shotton. There were two Boarders living in the household, Michael Kelly, age 70 a widower and Labourer for a Chemical Manufacturer and had been born in Roscommon, Ireland and James Connolly, age 66, also a widower and a Labourer for a Steel Manufacturer, he had been born also in Longford, Ireland.
Patrick, Edward’s father, had enlisted on the 27th of March 1916 and he has entered on his service Records that his wife was deceased before he enlisted and his children, Bernard and Edward Michael were in the guardianship of Mrs. M. Connolly, living at 23, Nelson Street, Shotton. Bernard Dennan was his next of kin, 23, Nelson Street and 51, Nelson Street was recorded on different forms. I believe that Patrick continued in the Army until the 14th of April 1919.
I was contacted by (David) Paul Dennan, who said that Edward Michael Dennan was his father’s half-brother and he told me some detail of the family: –
From what I have found out, Patrick Dennan (father of Edward Michael Dennan) and his first wife Ann Dennan (nee Kelly) also had a daughter in 1912 called Margaret Ann Dennan (in addition to sons Edward and Bernard). However, the child died in 1913 aged 1 yr.
You make an unconfirmed reference to Edwards father, Patrick Dennan, as perhaps marrying a second time in 1919, in Conwy, to Annie Hughes. I believe this to be the one and same Patrick Dennan. Annie was my paternal grandmother. She gave birth to two further sons to Patrick Dennan, namely Patrick John Dennan in 1922 (my father) and his brother Stephen Glynn Dennan (my Uncle). So, Edward and Bernard Dennan were stepbrothers to my father (Patrick John) and his brother Glyn.
As Patrick Dennan (my grandfather) died in 1941 and Edward Dennan (my step-Uncle) died in 1947, I obviously never met them. Edward’s brother by birth, ‘Bernard’ lived until 1966 (when I was aged 10yrs) but I don’t recollect meeting him although I’m sure I would have done so!
My father, Patrick John Dennan (born 1922), also served in WW2 at the same time as Edward, his stepbrother. My father was in the RAF, in the Far East campaign (i.e Burma / India). He was released from service in 1947. I wonder now if this was in any way an early release connected to the death of his stepbrother in the same year (i.e. where families had lost one serving son?).
Many thanks to David.
The 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, tells us that Patrick and his wife Annie Dennan are living at 1, Ashfield Road, Shotton. Patrick was now 37 years and 8 months old and tells us that he had been born in Widnes, Lancashire, (this is different to the 1911 census), his wife Annie, now 33 years and 6 months old had been born in Gyffin (Conway), Caernarvonshire. Thie sons were Bernard, age 12 years and 8 months old and Edward, 11 years, and 44 months old., both born in Shotton, Flintshire.
The Commonwealth War Graves Citation tells us of his marriage: – Husband of Phyllis May Dennan, of Shotton.
I believe that they married in the December quarter of 1938 in Holywell (Holywell Vol. 11b Page 390) Phyllis M. Anderson and Edward M. DENMAN (note wrong spelling).
I found them on the 1939 National Register which was taken on the 29th of September 1939 and so we know that Edward Michael was not in the forces at that date. They were living at 7 King Edward Street, Shotton, Hawarden, Flintshire, in the household of Joseph A, Fennah and Mary A. Fennah, there was on Closed* or redacted record, which I believe would have referred to the Fennah family, but also there was Edward M. Dennan, whose birth date was the 2nd of February 1910 and he was a steel Works Labourer, Phyllis M. Denman’s birth date was the 12th of September 1919 and as most married women on this register who did not have a job was doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” There was a Margaret Dennan, born on the 20th of June 1939, so only a baby.
* For individual people, records remain closed for a century after their birth (the 100-year rule), unless it can be proven that they passed away before this milestone. Use the ‘Open This Record’ button if you believe that this person is now deceased.
According to the Gravestone of Edward Michael Dennan in Hawarden Cemetery, Margaret, his daughter, died in 1940, (Flintshire (Mold) HAW/26A/79) so Phyllis May had to endure her death in 1940 and then her husbands in 1947.
Therefore, I cannot add a lot to Edward’s story, but the following may be of help. The qualifying dates for the 2nd World War Commemoration are below and the show that Edward Michael only just fitted into their timeline. He died in October and the cut-off date was the 31st of December 1947. I know of men who died outside that dateline, and they are not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission even though they had been wounded or affected by the war. There had to be a cut-off date somewhere I suppose.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission – WHO DO YOU COMMEMORATE?
CWGC are responsible for the commemoration of personnel who died between 4 August 1914 and 31 August 1921 and 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1947 whilst serving in a Commonwealth military force or specified auxiliary organisation.
Personnel who died between 4 August 1914 and 31 August 1921 and 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1947 after they were discharged from a Commonwealth military force, if their death was caused by their wartime service.
Commonwealth civilians who died between 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1947 as a consequence of enemy action, Allied weapons of war or whilst in an enemy prison camp.
Also, I do not know anything about what the Royal Engineers were doing in 1947, but the following link may shine some light on Edward Michael’s life in the war. I do know that they were bomb disposal experts, among many other hazardous duties, see: –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Engineers – Royal Engineers – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/4981/royal-engineers
also
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/20/a3357920.shtml
BBC History – WW2 People’s War Homepage
Royal Engineers, 1940 to 1946 by Bridport Museum
I found what I believe is Phyllis May Dennan’s death certificate, she survived until the 2nd of September 2002 and her last residence was in Flint, Flintshire. Phyllis May was 83 years old. (Clwyd; Register Number: 54; District and Subdistrict: 8031; Entry Number: 11)
MAY THE SOULS OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED REST IN PEACE
