No.14299, Corporal, James William DICKERSON
Aged 24
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James William Dickerson was born in Brandon on 4th April 1893 (Thetford Q2-1893 4B:387) son of William and Elizabeth DICKERSON (née RIX). 1901 census...Aged 7, William was at Town Street, Brandon with his father William DICKERSON [46] a warrener born Thetford; his mother Elizabeth [44] born Litcham; half sisters Alice [12] born Hockham and Bessie [10] born Thetford (by William's first wife Adelaide who died in 1891). William senior married Eizabeth RIX in Thetford in 1892 and then Mary Ann DICKERSON in 1908. Yet to identify death registration of Elizabeth. William married Mary in 1908 1911 census...Aged 17, William was in Kirby Bedon, nr Norwich with his uncle Albert RIX [38] cowman born Little Dunham; aunt Emma [39] born Marlingford and their son William RIX [10] born Kirby Bedon. Albert is his mother's brother. His father was at Chalk Road, Brandon with his wife of 3 years, Mary Ann DICKERSON and daughters Alice and Bessie. Uncle Albert Rix was the person who sent the words to be used on James' headstone and also claimed all James' effects were left to him by will. On a form signed 15th May 1919 the uncle entered no other living relatives, but a similar form was signed by James' father on 21st February 1920 giving father and two sisters, Alice [33] and Bessie [31] at Chalk Road, Brandon. James effects (only one disc) were sent to the uncle who is the relative named on the "Register of Soldier s Effects" and to whom probate was granted. |
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He enlisted in Norwich on 8th September 1914, giving his date of birth as 4/4/1893, born in Brandon, lived Kirby Bedon, Norfolk. He was 5
feet 2.5 inches (158.8 cm)tall,
weighed 106 lbs (48.2 kg), chest 32" to 34" (81.3 to 86.4 cm) with brown eyes, brown hair, Religion-Congregational. He was a milk cart driver.
Posted to 9th Norfolks 12th September 1914, posted to BEF, France on 30th August 1915 and promoted Lance Corporal 14th April 1916 and full Corporal on 16th September 1916. Killed in action on 18th October 1916, he was buried 200 yards from road loop and 40 yards SE of Gueudecourt/Beaulencourt road, exhumed and re interred in Bancourt on 15th September 1920 The war diary is remarkably brief considering the amount of action on the 18th, simply :- 18.10..Attack launched at 3:40 am, part of MILD TRENCH being successfully occupied. Casualties 239 O.R. and the following Officers..(followd by a list of officer casualties, 1 killed, 6 wounded , 2 missing)" According to F.Loraine Petrie OBE "History of the Norfolk Regiment", the battalion's objective was MILD TRENCH, followed by CLOUDY TRENCH.It was a dark night, the incessant rain had turned the ground into a quagmire, so much so that the parapet were so slippery the men had difficulty in even going over the top. The ensuing delay meant they lost much of the protection of our barrage, but an increased share of the enemy bombardment. "A" and "B" Companies lost direction in the dark and "C" Company was not near enough to fill the gap between them. Half of "B" Company got into MILD TRENCH, but their right flank failed. "A" Company had veered to the right, one party was seen in front of the Suffolk on the right, it had missed and was never seen again. Another party which had got into the middle of MILD TRENCH were all killed or captured. Two companies of the Leicesters, attached to the Norfolk, never got into the fighting line.. The weather was so bad that in some cases the men used captured German rifles as their own were caked in mud. CWGC records show 89 killed, 32 are buried in Bancourt and the rest are named on the Thiepval Memorial click here to go to the Brandon at War website for more information   James was initially buried here and moved to Bancourt in 1920 photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
