Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Harry Frederick (Frederick James) Dickinson, a railway labourer born in the October quarter of 1846 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire and baptised as Harry Frederick on the 28th October 1846 in St. Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray (son of Sarah Dickinson, 1826) and his wife Eliza Dickinson (nee Freeborough, married on the 25th July 1872 in St. George’s Church, Leicester) born in the July quarter of 1854 in Somerby, Leicestershire and baptised on the 13th December 1854 in All Saint’s Church, Somerby (daughter of Thomas Freeborough, 1826-1892 and Elizabeth Newton, 1824-1856). Thomas William, a schoolboy, was born in the October quarter of 1882 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, his siblings were, Florence, a laundress, born on the 19th June 1873 in Leicester, Walter James, an errand boy, born in the July quarter of 1878, Maud Eleanor, a schoolgirl, born on the 18th September 1884, Alwyn, a schoolboy, born in the January quarter of 1886, Albert Edward, a schoolboy, born on the 5th February 1888 and Agnes Louisa, born in the April quarter of 1889, the latter five siblings were all born in Birmingham and Lilian Maria, born on the 2nd February 1891 in Leicester and baptised on the 26th August 1892 in the Church of St. Barnabas, Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at Martin Street, Belgrave, St. Michael & All Angel’s, Leicester. In March 1901 Thomas was employed as an assistant in a mantle warehouse and was residing in the family home at 63, Green Lane Road, St. Stephen’s, Leicester, together with his father, an engineer’s labourer, his mother and siblings Walter, a grocer’s van driver, Maud, a wool trade weaver, Alwyne, an electric wire works worker, Albert, a waiter, Louise, Lilian and Arthur Robert, born in the April quarter of 1898 in Leicester. In April 1911 Thomas was employed as an electric tram car conductor and was residing in the family home at 15, Meynell Road, Leicester together with his wife Alice Dickinson (nee Edwards, married in the July quarter of 1905 in Oakham, Rutland), born on the 20th October 1881 in Thistleton, Rutland and baptised on the 9th November 1881 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Thistleton (daughter of Jonathan Edwards and Zillah Stafford). Thomas and Alice had two children, Arthur Edward, born on the 30th May 1906 and baptised on the 5th August 1906 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester and Dorothy May, born on the 14th June 1912, both children were born in Leicester.
Thomas’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Tring, Hertfordshire into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Place and date not known.
Posted. To Royal Army Medical Corps. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 27978.
Posted. To Royal Army Medical Corps. 33rd Field Ambulance. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Died of wounds received in action. In the Field. 9/8/17.
Buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Thomas nominated his wife Alice, as his sole legatee.
On the 20th February 1918, Thomas’s widow Alice, of 32, Shenton Street, Humberstone Road, Leicester was awarded a weekly Army Dependent’s Pension of twenty-two shillings and eleven pence, for herself and her two children, commensurate on the 25th February 1918. Alice later moved to 19, Meynell Road, Uppingham Road, Leicester.
The War Diary records: 9 Aug-17 – C19 C41 Sheet 28. Weather fine. No. 27978 Private T. W. DICKINSON died from wounds, shell wound head in Advanced Dressing Station about 8.00pm. Buried -?- -?- here this afternoon.
On Thursday August 9th, 1923, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 7, under the heading. – BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. – IN MEMORIAM. – DICKINSON. – In loving remembrance of our dear son and brother, T. W. Dickinson, killed at Ypres Aug. 9th, 1917. Someday we’ll understand. – Mam, Dad, Brothers and Sisters.
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