Maurice James Dease was born on Saturday the 28th of September 1889 to parents Edmund Fitzlaurence Dease and Katherine Dease. They lived in the tiny village of Coole in County Westmeath, Ireland. Maurice was educated at Stonyhurst College and the Army Department of Wimbledon College before attending the prestigious Royal Military College at Sandhurst.

At 04.00 hours on Sunday the 23rd of August 1914, the 4th Battalion (Bn.) of the Royal Fusiliers was called to arms in response to reports that a large German presence had been spotted in a wooded area situated just a short distance away. 

The men of the battalion set about improving their defensive positions along the canal which skirted the town of Nimy - with the railway bridge which crossed the canal being defended by a company from the 4th Bn. under the command of Captain Ashburner. This company included a machine gun section comprising two Vickers machine guns, which was commanded by Lieutenant Maurice Dease. 

Meanwhile, the swing-bridge to the east of the railway bridge, was held by two platoons from C Company of the 4th Bn. commanded by Captain Frederick Forster. On the right flank, the 4th Middlesex Regiment held the north eastern section of the salient at Nimy.

Maurice Dease and his machine gun teams would play a pivotal role in the defense of Nimy Bridge. The two Vickers machine guns were sited in prepared-positions on the railway embankment which overlooked the canal.

At around 08.00 hours, the first German infantry attack commenced, threatening the north western part of the salient. Meanwhile the 4th Bn. resisted an attack which was conducted by six German battalions who'd all moved towards Nimy Bridge. At around 09.00 hours, another German attack was launched with 4th Bn. officers giving the order "Rapid Fire!"   The German infantrymen who'd advanced in close-order formation suffered heavy casualties under the withering fire.

After these initial attacks the Germans withdrew back into the wooded area to the north of the canal to regroup, but further attacks commenced around thirty minutes later. 

Pressure started to mount on Captain Ashburner's company and it was around this time that Lieutenant Maurice Dease was wounded for the first time, just below his knee.  Both Captain Ashburner and Lieutenant F. Steele tried to persuade Lieutenant Dease to get medical attention but this was refused.

A platoon led by 2nd Lieutenant Joseph Mead was sent to reinforce the bridge. Soon after arriving, Lieutenant Mead suffered a severe head injury. However, he returned to the battle only to be shot once again in the head.

A further platoon led by Captain Bowden-Smith and Lieutenant Everard Smith was sent to support the Vickers machine gun positions. Both these officers were soon wounded. The German fire was so intense that it was getting difficult to resupply and reinforce the Vickers gun-pits.

Casualties started to mount with Captain Ashburner being wounded in the head and Lieutenant Dease being wounded for a second time whilst supporting his machine gun crews, dragging one wounded machine gunner to safety whilst all the time, being under heavy fire,

With all of the machine gun crews out of action Lieutenant Dease manned one of the Vickers guns himself. At around midday Lieutenant Dease sustained a third injury with a wound to the neck. Lieutenant F. Steele advised Lieutenant Maurice Dease to lie still, but Lieutenant Dease was stood up to assess the situation - and was hit in the side and fell unconscious to the ground.

By this time the position was coming under accurate German artillery fire as more German cannons were bought into position. The battalion war diary reported:

‘We suffered severely on the bridge over the canal by rifle and artillery fire. The machine guns had a particularly trying time. Practically all the detachment were doing great. Lieut. Dease the machine gun officer was killed or wounded. Lieut. Dease and Pte Godley both displayed the most conspicuous bravery in working the guns, after they had been wounded. The guns having finally been disabled by artillery fire had to be abandoned."

Although wounded, Private Godley kept firing for two hours and at 14.00 hours the 4th Bn. were ordered to withdraw from the Nimy salient. Private Godley continued to fire his machine gun until the last Royal Fusilier left the canal. His ammunition supplies were nearly exhausted, so he disabled the machine gun and then headed towards Mons to seek medical aid for his wounds. Two Belgians helped Godley to hospital where he was eventually captured by German forces. He spent the duration of the war as a prisoner of war but was able to escape when German guards deserted their posts in 1918, making his way to Denmark.

Lieutenant Maurice James Dease was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at the Nimy Bridge, his citation stating:

"Though two or three times badly wounded he continued to control the fire of his machine guns at Mons on 23rd Aug., until all his men were shot. He died of his wounds." The London Gazette, Monday the 16th of November 1914.

H. C. O'Neill wrote this account in The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War.

"The machine gun crews were constantly being knocked out. So cramped was their position that when a man was hit he had to be removed before another could take his place. The approach from the trench was across the open, and whenever a gun stopped Lieutenant Maurice Dease... went up to see what was wrong. To do this once called for no ordinary courage. To repeat it several times could only be done with real heroism. Dease was badly wounded on these journeys, but insisted on remaining at duty as long as one of his crew could fire. The third wound proved fatal, and a well deserved VC was awarded him posthumously. By this time both guns had ceased firing, and all the crew had been knocked out. In response to an inquiry whether anyone else knew how to operate the guns Private Godley came forward. He cleared the emplacement under heavy fire and brought the gun into action. But he had not been firing long before the gun was hit and put completely out of action. The water jackets of both guns were riddled with bullets, so that they were no longer of any use. Godley himself was badly wounded and later fell into the hands of the Germans."

In August 2023 and August 2024, Nimy Company - The 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers Living History Group were invited to the town of Nimy to present a series of living history displays portraying The British Soldier of The 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers during the August of 1914.

A video clip featuring Nimy Company - The 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers Living History Group