He was 21 years old, and a temporary lieutenant in the 8th Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, when the following action took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

[3]On 15 February 1919, Dean was presented with the Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace and was given a civic reception in his home town of Sittingbourne.

[4] Following the war, Dean took up part-time soldiering with the Territorial Army, being appointed captain in the 4th Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) in July 1921.

[6] Dean was the youngest officer in the group, and although there were some experienced reservists amongst the other ranks, the majority had volunteered to escape unemployment or were conscripts who had been graded as unfit for any other military duty.

With the rail system in chaos, Dean resorted to bribing the station master so that he could requisition a train and following a brief fire-fight with the leading German units the Group were able to reach Wimereux near Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Here Dean was ordered to send part of his force to Boulogne harbour to act as dock labour for 20th Guards Brigade who were arriving to defend the port.

[7] The Guards established a defensive perimeter around the town and were told to expect reinforcements from Calais, however these never arrived as the Germans had occupied the coast road.