‘Punch’ died on March 8th 1985. He was born at Black Hall, Co. Kildare, in 1910.
Educated at Eton, on leaving Sandhurst he joined the 8th Hussars in 1930 when the Regiment was stationed at Aldershot.
His father, Captain Gerald Dunne, bred some good horses at his Black Hall Stud and for many years managed the famous Punchestown Racecourse, where they raced over banks and walls and the runners even had to jump a bank en route to the start. It was from Punchestown that ‘Punch’ acquired his nickname.
While at Aldershot he whipped into the Aldershot Drag and was successful in his racing and polo. The Regiment moved on to Hounslow and thence to Cairo where owing to the impending war, they were to remain for about the next ten years.
During 1936 and 1937 he went with the Regiment to Palestine for the Troubles, which lasted each time over a period of about six months, and in between times played cricket and polo for Regimental sides and being a member of the polo team that won the Open Cup in their first season in Egypt.
‘Punch’ served in the Western Desert for the first two years of the War and was several times wounded.
The Regiment returned to England in 1943 and reorganised in preparation for the invasion of Europe.
He commanded a Squadron when they landed in Normandy on D-Day, June 1944.
After heavy fighting, he was again wounded at Villars Bocage and returned home to convalesce.
He was 2IC from 1946 to 1948, and he then went as Second in Command to the Northants Yeomanry.
In 1949 he rode his horse Closure into third place in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown, the race being won by his brother officer, ‘Jumbo’ Phillips, on Demon Veno. ‘Punch’ married in July 1949 Noel, sister of another brother officer, Bill Nelson; they had one daughter.
He sailed on the Empire Fowey in October 1950 with the Regiment when they went to Korea and commanded ‘HQ’ Squadron. With his Headquarters in Pusan, he was also responsible for the reinforcement held in Kure, Japan.
