CAPTAIN HENRY SINGLETON PENNELL VC
The Sherwood Foresters ( The Derbyshire Regiment )




Henry Singleton Pennell was born on the 18th June 1874 at 8 Barton Villas, Dawlish, Devon, into a well known local land owning family, Henry's father being described on his birth certificate as a Gentleman

Henry was the second son of Edwin Pennell and Henrietta (nee Copeland) of Dawlish, his elder brother being Charles Lewin, sisters Rosalie Frances and Hilda Mary. As was the custom at the time the eldest son went into the family business, the second son followed a career in the Army.

After being educated locally in Dawlish, Henry, at the age of 13 in 1887, was sent to finish his education at Eastbourne College (Blackwater House), East Sussex. He remained with the college until 1892, after which he was accepted by the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, for officer training, being placed 26th in the list of 102 successful candidates.

After passing out from Sandhurst Henry Pennell was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion, The Derbyshire Regiment (The Sherwood Foresters) as a 2nd Lieutenant on 21st October 1893 and so began his military career.

However, Henry Pennell's career was tragically terminated in 1907 when he was accidentally killed whilst traversing the famous Cresta toboggan run at St Moritz, Switzerland, when on holiday with fellow officers of his regiment.


The military career of Henry Singleton Pennell

The Battle of the Dargai Heights, North West Frontier, India,
20 October 1897

The obituary of Henry Pennell in the Dawlish Gazette,
26 January 1907

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


The Archivist Michael Partridge National Archives
Museum of the Mercian Regiment Archivist Ruskin Avenue
( WFR Collection ) Eastbourne College Kew
The Castle Old Wish Road Surrey
Nottingham Eastbourne TW9 4DU
Nottinghamshire East Sussex
NG9 5HA BN21 4JX

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Iain Stewart, 1 November 2001