General Discussion

News about the next service to remember a Dawlish serviceman who gave his life during World War One.  A series of services are being held on the 100th anniversary of each death.

George John Pessell will be remembered on Thursday 16th April

St Agatha’s Church, commencing at 12 noon

George Pessell was a regular serviceman, serving in the Royal Navy from 1902.  He died at home from a ruptured aneurysm in the aorta on 16 April 1915.  His death was however seen by the people of Dawlish as war related, and his name is listed on the Memorial. 

He was born in 1879 and his family was living at that time in Beach Street.  It is believed that his father was working for the railway.   The family moved over time to Warren Road, Commercial Road, and our last trace of them is at Strand Hill.

George signed up as an assistant cook in the Royal Navy.  His service record shows that prior to that he had worked as a Baker.   We know that he married Prudence Dowell in 1904, and that they had three children.  Sadly, the youngest of these was a little girl who also died in 1915, aged just one year old.   1915 was therefore a doubly dreadful year for his widow Prudence, who survived him by 41 years and died in 1956.

We know that George served on a number of major ships, including a Dreadnought called HMS Bellerophon.  He clearly acquitted himself well in the service of his country and by the time of his death had been promoted to Chief Ship’s Cook.

George Pessell’s service to his country is recorded in the Devon Roll of Honour and on the Dawlish War Memorial.  He is buried in the naval section of Weston Mill cemetery, Plymouth.

Please feel free to pass this information to anyone who may be interested in joining the commemorations