Dion John Stellin

Lieutenant · NZ #156770 · MC, MID

What this roll records

Born 16 June 1916; died 2 September 1975, aged 59. The Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph records his medals as the Military Cross, the 1939-45, Africa and Italy Stars, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-45 with oak leaf, and the General Service Medal 1918-62 with Palestine 1945-48 and Malaya clasps. It also records later service in the Malayan Emergency: enlisted 17 December 1951, Fijian Infantry Regiment, Captain from 8 March 1954. He carries a second service number there, 30572, from that New Zealand enlistment. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph, record 288309.

MILITARY CROSS. The London Gazette of 29 February 1944 (Supplement 36403, p. 1042), under the heading “The Military Cross”, names “Lieutenant (acting Captain) Dion John Stellin (156770), The Durham Light Infantry (Wellington, New Zealand)”. The Gazette gives both the service number carried on this card and his home as Wellington.

MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. The London Gazette of 23 January 1945 (Supplement 36907, p. 562), in a list of those “Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field”, names “Lt. (temp. Capt.) D. J. Stellin, M.C.” of the Durham Light Infantry. That page prints the number as 56770, dropping the leading 1; the Gazette entries of 1940 and 1946 both give 156770 in full.

Commissioned 15 November 1940 (London Gazette, Supplement 34995, p. 6626), listed between service numbers 156769 and 156771 — his commissioning intake, which puts the number on this card beyond argument. Promoted War Substantive Captain from 10 November 1945 (Gazette, 1 February 1946, Supplement 37454, p. 800).

A contributor to the Museum’s record, citing Damien Lewis’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”, adds that he enlisted in the British Army in 1938, was known as “Stud”, and served with S.O.E., the Commandos and the Special Boat Service. That part of the record is a public contribution and is not verified by the Museum; the Durham Light Infantry within it is confirmed by the Gazette. Neither source places him in the LRDG — his membership of the Group rests on this roll.

The prefix NZ has been added to his service number, on the authority of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph record already linked on this card — the Museum holds him as a New Zealand service person. The digits are unchanged. This roll formerly left the number unmarked, which made it look like a British number to anyone reading the field rather than the card.

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Where this comes from

• Listed in the LRDG Preservation Society’s Troopers roll.

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Not By Strength But By Guile