Penny, Bernard Willoughby
Second Lieutenant Bernard Willoughby Penny was formerly a member of the Theological Faculty at King's, having been previously educated at St. Edward's School, Oxford. He died from wounds received in action on August 17th, 1917, a shell having burst close to where he was in a front-line trench, and inflicting five wounds. He was taken to a casualty clearing station at Dozinghem, but died the following day; he was buried that same evening in the military cemetery at Dozinghem. Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens, D.S.O., commanding the Royal Fusiliers writes how "his cheery disposition and manly straightforwardness and utter fearlessness in danger had endeared him to all ranks." Complete confidence placed in him, especially when he was called to any task requiring special capacity. The captain of his company writes touchingly of the love inspired by Penny in officers and men alike. His modesty is well exemplified in a letter to his parents when, after sixteen months service at the Front, he said, "I have not done much yet but I will." He did, indeed, much - nay he did all, and he realised "I am in other hands and satisfied to remain there." He had first enlisted in the Artists' Rifles, and prior to that he assisted at the St. George's Hostel, Plumstead, where he did excellent work amongst the boys working at the Woolwich Arsenal. King's College Review, Dec. 1917
Biographical
| Surname(s) | Penny |
|---|---|
| First name(s) | Bernard Willoughby |
| Date of birth | 1895 |
| Family details | Son of Edmund John Penny, M.D. and Annie Sophia Penny, of "Yiewsley," Wolverton, Bucks. |
| Previous education | St. Edward's School, Oxford |
| College | King's College London and/or King's College London Hospital |
| Dept / course | Faculty of Theology |
| Military unit | Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Battn |
| War / conflict | World War One (1914-1918) |
| Campaigns | France and Flanders March 1916 to August 1917 |
| Date of death | 18 August 1917 |
| Age at death | 22 |
| Rank at death | Second Lieutenant |
| Cause of death | Wounded by a shell in the front line trench and died of wounds the following day |
| Burial place | Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium |
| Commemoration(s) | King's College Chapel |
| Sources | King's College London Archives; Commonwealth War Graves, Soldiers died in the Great War; University of London O.T.C.1914-19 |