212482 Cpl. William James Dickson British Army 13th London Regiment from:London My Grandfather, William Dickson was a Drummer Stretcher Bearer, he left England for France on the 3rd of November 1914. He saw service at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, the Somme, Guillemont, Ginchy, Arras, Ypres and Cambrai. He was wounded on 3 separate occasions, being hospitalised in England and then returned to the front. Tuesday December 1st he was part of the guard of honour at EStaires to the King and the Prince of Wales. At the time of the unofficial Christmas truce in 1914, he was not in the front line, being in reserve he missed that. Sunday 14th of March 1915, as he was loading an ambulance wagon,a German shell went through it cutting one man in half and rewounding the others,he notes in his diary that, the driver and horses were unharmed. This was Neuve Chapelle. April Saturday 17th during an inspection by General Sir John French , a billet burst down, as they were all on parade no body was blamed. During the attack on the Aubers Ridge, May Tuesday 9th he was wounded in the arm, and was visited by Mr Churchill in the Hospital at Merville. Monday 17th March 1916 he is made up to Lance Corporal.He was with Major Cedric Dickens, Chales Dickens Grandson near Hebuterne, after the attack on Saturday July 1st ,from 2 companies of men only Major Dickens and 13 men were left. He was at Angle Wood when tanks were first used in an attack, which he says in his diary was a disaster. December 1916 he is made a full Corporal, on Monday the 4th. His diary goes on until September 4th 1917 when he leaves the diary at home while on leave. We have no record as to when he went back to France, but by the 12th December 1917 he is sent home again wounded. His military papers show him being discharged on May 4th 1918 as no longer fit for military service. He passed away peacefully in 1963 aged 74, a wonderful old gentleman. We Will Remember Them.
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