Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Dickinson, a school master, born 1868 in Tyldesley, Lancashire and his wife Ellen Dickinson (nee Bell, married in the 2nd quarter of 1894 in the Peterborough, Northamptonshire district), an infant’s school mistress, born 1872 in Peterborough, Northamptonshire. Frederick William was born in the 2nd quarter of 1895 in Irnham, Lincolnshire, his siblings were, Elizabeth Madeline, born 1897 in Norley, Cheshire, Leonard, born 1899 in Beeford, Yorkshire and Mervyn Charles, born 1900 in Arkendale, Yorkshire, also residing in the family home was Frederick’s widowed paternal Grandmother, Anne Dickinson, a domestic housekeeper, born 1837 in Tyldesley, in March 1901 the family home was at Rigg End, Arkendale, Reeth, Yorkshire. In April 1911 Frederick was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at the School House, Church Langton, Leicestershire, together with his father, a head teacher, his mother an assistant teacher and his siblings, Madeline, a domestic worker, Leonard, a schoolboy, Mervyn, a schoolboy, Leslie Joseph, a schoolboy, born 1903 in Arkendale and Clifford, born 1911 in Church Langton, also residing in the family home was Frederick’s widowed paternal Grandmother, Ann Dickinson. Frederick was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School, and was on the staff of the Midland Bank, Leicester.
On the 31st January 1920 the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester published a Roll of Honour of former pupils, this records that Frederick attended the school between the years 1908 and 1912.
The War Diary pages for the 1st to the 20th March 1918 were destroyed by shell fire, therefore the following entry was made to cover the events of the missing pages:- The details of the War Diary for the month of MARCH 1918 was destroyed by shell fire on March 28th. All papers made out were sent down from the Battalion HQ. in the trenches on the evening of March 21st and were placed on a limber which was subsequently destroyed. The following is a summary of the events of the month up to the commencement of the attack on March 21st from which date as full an account as possible is attached:- The Battalion occupied the left sub sector of the right Brigade front on the evening of the 28th February relieving the 2nd ROYAL IRISH REGT. (16th Division). The area occupied by the Battalion was from BEECH AVENUE inclusive to just north of ANDREW STREET, the 6th and 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. being alternatively on the right of the Battalion and the 62nd Infantry Brigade on the left. After certain minor alterations the dispositions of the Battalion was as follows:- Two Companies front line and supports. One Company garrisoning the five posts in PEIZIERE. One Company in reserve for counter attack purposes. The front line Companies were disposed as follows:- Right front Company 1 platoon in PLANE TRENCH (by night only – falling back to RED LINE – before dawn). 1 platoon in FIR SUPPORT and 2 platoons in RED LINE. Left front Company – 1 platoon in CRICKET TRENCH – 1 platoon in FIR SUPPORT – 2 platoons in NEW SQUASH and RED LINE – 2 sections (all “D”) from PEIZIERE garrison in RED LINE north of ANDREW STREET. The posts in PEIZIERE were garrisoned as follows:- PROCTOR POST – 1 platoon – MACPHEE POST – 1 platoon – TOTTENHAM POST – Company HQ and 2 sections – MCLEAN POST – 2 sections – MORGAN POST 2 sections. The reserve (counter attack) Company was located in RAILWAY CUTTING until about March 17th when it was moved into position near the new Battalion HQ. which were occupied the same day in W.30.a. west of the northern end of PEIZIERE. During the night of the 28th February/1st March and the following night the enemy attempted several raids on the units on either flank. These raids were accompanied by considerable artillery fire but very little was directed on the Battalion front. After the first few days, this raiding on the part of the enemy ceased and from then onwards, to the commencement of the attack his guns were remarkably quiet, the hostile shelling being mainly confined to a few gas shells mixed with high explosive fired during the night or early morning on CRICKET TRENCH and ANDREW STREET. On the morning of the 17th at about 6.20am. the enemy put down a light barrage on PLANE and CRICKET TRENCH. Except for this in spite of considerable harassing fire from our artillery and heavy concentration in connection with raids carried out by us the hostile artillery were almost completely silent. During the whole period active patrolling was carried out at night by the Battalion, protective patrols being out every night and strong fighting patrols being sent out frequently. It was very seldom that any touch was obtained with the enemy. The following officers did well with fighting patrols. 2nd Lt. DICKINSON, 2nd Lt. JAREY, 2nd Lt. CARLISLE, 2nd Lt. SHACKLETON, 2nd Lt. GODFREY and Lt. WATKINSON. On the night of 15th/16th March a patrol under 2nd Lt. DICKINSON encountered the enemy in considerable force. Lt. DICKINSON and 3 other ranks were wounded and Lt. DICKINSON was taken prisoner. The following casualties occurred during the period 28th February to the 20th March 1918 the Battalion was in the trenches. March 7th 1 other rank wounded (at duty). March 11th 1 other rank wounded (at duty). March 13th 1 other rank wounded, 1 killed. March 17th 1 officer (2nd Lt. DICKINSON) wounded and missing, 1 other rank killed, 3 wounded. During the same period the following drafts were received March 6th 6 other ranks. March 11th 4 other ranks. March 14th 19 other ranks. March 15th 8 other ranks. During the period 28th February to the 20th March 1918 the front line Companies were relieved every four days. The right front Companies becoming Battalion reserve (counter attack) Company and the left front Company forming garrison of PEIZIERE. On the morning of the 21st March 1918 the disposition of the Battalion was as follows:- “A” Company front right Company, “B” Company left front Company, “C” Company Battalion Reserve/Counter attack Company, “D” Company garrison of PEIZIERE. The 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. were on our right and the 12th/13th NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS (62nd Infantry Brigade) on our left. 2 Tanks were in reserve at Battalion HQ.