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Cenotaph Record
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Full Name
Trooper Alfred Dickinson
Rank Last Held
Trooper
Forename(s)
Alfred
Surname
Dickinson
Also Known As
  • Dickenson
  • Alf
War
World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No.
11/417
Gender
Male
First Known Rank
Trooper
Next of Kin
E.J. Dickinson (brother), Fordell, Wanganui, New Zealand
Marital Status
Single
Enlistment Address
Care of Gibsons Limited, Hawera, Taranaki, New Zealand
Military District
Wellington
Body on Embarkation
Main Body
Embarkation Unit
Wellington Mounted Rifles
Embarkation Date
16 October 1914
Place of Embarkation
Wellington, New Zealand
Transport
Vessel
Orari or Arawa
Destination
Suez, Egypt
Nominal Roll Number
Vol1
Page on Nominal Roll
188
Last Unit Served
Wellington Mounted Rifles
Place of Death
Gallipoli, Turkey
Date of Death
30 May 1915
Age at Death
27
Year of Death
1915
Cause of Death
Killed in action
Memorial Name
Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey
Memorial Reference
72.
Biographical Notes
  • The condolence letter written by William Grant, to his brother Thomas Henry (Harry) Dickinson describes Alfred's death "on the journey to the dressing station. We buried him there, on a spur of Walker's ridge, rising steeply from the sea and land with islands in the near distance; the place being known as Fisherman's Hut"; towards midnight on Sunday, 30th May, after repulsing an attack of the enemy, in which four more were wounded". The letter was later published in the newspaper.
  • Another condolence letter written by Archie Cameron (Epsom, Surrey, England 20 October 1915) to Alfred's sister " ... I was so pleased you received my message. You can't imagine how hard it was for me to write. As I know the bond of love between brother and sister could not be greater. Poor Alf, he was always speaking of you as his favourite sister. I felt his death more than my own poor brother who was killed on April 25 on landing at the Dardanelles. I shall never forget May 30th. We came into contact with the Turks about 2 o'clock on Sunday morning... At dawn the Turkish snipers got busy they got a number of our brave boys, so poor Major Elmslie who got killed in August called five of us to locate them Alf & myself were chosen for the mission. We crawled through the rough scrub we came within about thirty yards from the Turks there was about 20 of them hidden behind some thick scrub on our right flank. We took up position unnoticed by the enemy, we accounted for almost the lot. Poor Alf he said to me 'well Archie if we don't get out of this alive we have done good work'. About 10 minutes later the poor boy got shot, the shot went through the front of my tunic & entered his side. I caught him in my arms he put his arms around my neck he only smiled & asked me to send you a message and also Miss Rands, we buried him at the number 2 post. We engraved a large stone for his grave. And there I left my best mate & faithful friend. He died for a just cause freedom * Christianity & I am sure our good God will reward all who died for the same cause. I am leaving for the front shortly I am now on furlough I extend to you my deepest sympathy. And many thanks for your kind wishes. I remain sincerely yours Archie Cameron" (The gravestone was photographed and the photograph held by Alexander Turnbull Library)
Description of Image
  • Portrait, WW1, studio, civilian clothes
  • Portrait
  • Portrait, WW1, Trooper Alfred Dickinson Egypt 1915
  • Portrait, WW1, mounted on a horse, rifle, bayonet at side, in front of tent and the horse is standing on grass
  • Portrait, WW1, soldier mounted on camel in front of the sphinx, a second soldier in the background; Arab guides portrayed. Photograph label F.J. Denton, Wanganui, N.Z., negative 14444
  • Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1915
  • Alfred's Kitbag (family collections)
  • Newspaper clipping, transcript of a condolence letter written to Alfred's brother by William Grant C.F. titled by the newspaper "one of a band of heroes", recounting the circumstances of his death (family collections)
  • Commemorative card "In loving memory" (front) (family collections)
  • Commemorative card, WW1 "In loving memory" (inside), portrait, "In affectionate Memory of Trooper Alfred Dickinson ... who fell in the fight for liberty on 30th May, 1915; aged 27 years (family collections)
  • Envelope containing Commemorative card, WW1 "In loving memory" No 11/417 trooper A Dickinson, No 4 Troop, A Squadron W.M.R., NZ Expeditionary Force, Wgtn (family collections)
Further References
Additional Information
  • Name is spelt as DICKENSON by CWGC
  • Brother's name is misspelt on Nominal Roll as Fordell Dickenson
Sources Used
  • Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume I. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1914-1919
  • Unpublished papers: family papers
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. URL: http://www.cwgc.org