DEATH OF A CRIMEAN VETERAN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2132, 25 April 1914, Page 5

DEATH OF A CRIMEAN VETERAN

CAPTAIN GEO. DORMER,

The. death of Oaptaiii George flatuser, _ a Crimean veteran, took pke-e at Ins residence,- Mount Eden, Auckland, on Wednesday night. Deceased, if'ho was iveli known in WelHiigtott, had entered upon his 77ih year. Up till last year Be was areguhtr competitor rtt the annual shooting competitions at Trentham. _ Captain Dormer was born at K<nLondon, in 1889, ahd in August, 1851, v.-hen ho was twelve and u half years of age, ho joined the Royal Navy. Ho went out to India, and took part in the Burnsah war. 110 held tho HiednJ for this campaign, with the Pegu bar. Ho return®*} homo in 18S3, and joined J3.M.S, Sidan, asd shortly afterwards weitt to the Crimea, ttherobo saw eo-nsiderabJe service. On the- night of Juno 17, 1554, lie was wounded during the attack on tho sea forte at Sevastopol, aud was invalided Homo. He was discharged, and for two years was an outside pensioner of Greenwich Hospital, his pension being sixpence a day. Captain Dormer held the Crimea medal, With tho Stbasiopol clasp, and also tho'Turkish medal for the s<t.n)e campaign. Although ho had already seen a g-ood Seal of service in the Navy, Mi*, Dormer was not satisfied and in 1957 enlisted in the 10th Regiment'of the Lino, •Two, years later he. joined the School of Musksiry,. and became an instructor. The same year lie was awarded 'the medal for hug service ftnd good eoiiduct. He was transferred from tho lOtli to the 14th, and in 1860 came to New Zealand with this regiment. He took I part iu the Maori War, for which lie Was awarded this medal for his services iis tho colony, extending from 1860 to 1866. Tho regiment was then stationed at various parts of Australia for four years, and in 1870 Captain lloriucr emIfarked for Home, In 1878 Mr. Dormer was transjferred to tho t)nrs®t Militia, to which jh® was attached for two years. Ho •was than discharged on a pension, !.mt little later joined tho Dorset Riflo Volunteers as instructor. After nn- . other two years' service he was finally; . discharged, and prepared to settle down, •While Iks was in Ufcw Zealand ho married an Auckland lady, and ska was ansiouri to get back to her own country, Thinking als-i) that his family of . ten would have- more scope in the Dominion than in-England) Mr :> Dormer decided to inake his homo in New {teaJam}, which had impressed him very favourably during his period of service hflre. He therefore came to Auckland aii<] made his home, there. His enthusiasm for service was still unabated, and ho Joined tho Auckland City Guards in 1884, bejiis; eleeted, lieutenant of the company in the- fallowing year. He was afterwards for some years j»a* and nnartw-snaster of f.H» Ist. Auckland Battalion, until, in 1895', having reached the ago limit, he was transferred to the retired list with tho rank of captain) Captain Bonner will be accorded a military funeral to-day.