Born in the parish of St. Peter's, Dublin, on the 14th of March 1828.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 13th of March 1846.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Labourer.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Brown hair.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the HT "Wilson Kennedy" on the 2nd of May 1854.
There is the strong possibility that he rode in the Charge.
From Private to Corporal: 17th of December 1854.
Reverted to Private, "at his own request", on the 16th of May 1855.
From Private to Sergeant [sic]: 27th of August 1855.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the SS "Great Britain " on the 8th of October 1857.
The India Office records show an Elizabeth Dunn(e), wife of Troop-Sergeant Major Patrick Dunn(e), 8th Hussars, died at Meerut of "choleric diarrhoea" on the 24th of January 1861, aged 24 years. She was buried in the Cantonment Cemetery there.
The records also show the death of Phoebe Georgina Dunn, daughter of P. Dunn of the 8th Hussars, on the 14th of July 1861, aged 3 years. She was buried in the Cantonment Cemetery on the 15th of July.
A few months later he was reduced to Private by a Regimental Court-martial on the 28th of October 1861, having been "In confinement", 23rd-26th of October, and "In cells", 27th of October — 28th of November 1861.
Extract from the 8th Hussars Court-martial Book, Meerut, 27th November 1861:
"For conduct un-becoming to a Non-Commissioned Officer and being subversive of military discipline, in having on or about the 23rd of October 1861 had in his possession in Barracks, about two dozen Brandy [bottles?] which had been left in his quarters by an un-licensed dealer in Spirits for re-sale or other purposes; which conduct being in breach of Military Regulations and of Regimental Order to the contrary."
He was sentenced to be reduced to the ranks, "And further, to undergo an imprisonment of twenty-eight days".
Embarked for England on the 30th of April 1862.
Discharged, "Free, with right of registry for a deferred pension upon reaching the age of 50 years", from York on the 13th of March 1863.
Served 18 years 9 months.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.
India: 5 years 4 months.
Conduct: "latterly good".
In possession of one Good Conduct badge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, having been recommended for it on the 12th of January 1855. However, it is not known under what circumstances.
Having been awarded this medal there is the strong possibility that he did indeed ride in the Charge, in common with most of the other recipients. His documents confirm that "he has a medal for distinguished conduct in the field, with a gratuity of £10."
Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India.
Served in action at Kotah and Gwalior and was wounded in action at Goundry on the 14th of November 1858.
An entry on his documents states: "Absent from musters of the Army Reserve Force. To be considered when applying for pension". Dated 17th of November 1870.
He is not known to have been a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in either 1877 or 1879 or to have ever attended any of the veterans' functions.
He said he intended to live at 3, Evans Place, Land Street, Carlton Street, Liverpool, after discharge.