Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - The Dickins Brothers, Percy & Gilbert

The marriage of John Martin Dickins [born Northampton, ca 1847] to Florence Catherine Lemon [born ca 1853, Hoxton, Middx.] was registered at Hackney for the September Quarter of 1874.

In the 1881 Census JM Dickins stated his occupation as Silk Manufacturers Clerk. His family that comprised 4 children, including Percy Martin Dickins [born Stoke Newington, registered Hackney 12/1875], then resided at Elm Cottage, Wimbledon. John Martin had become an Accountant by 1901 and fathered more children, notably Gilbert Collingwood Dickins whose birth was registered at Wandsworth 3/1896.

Although still at Wandsworth for the 1911 Census, John Martin Dickins appears in Street Directories for Ashtead 1915 & 1918 at Belmont, Skinners Lane.

1st South African Infantry Brigade

Percy Martin Dickins

Percy, the older of the two brothers under consideration, appears to have emigrated from England before 1911 to become a citizen of South Africa where he married Nancy (later Mrs Clements) in Cape Province.

He enlisted for War Service with 1st Regiment, South African Infantry. The South African Brigade joined 9th Scottish Division on 22 April 1916 and was then nicknamed “Jocks & Springboks”.

Between 15 July and 14 September 1916 (the eve of the Battle of Flers-Courcellette), the Fourth Army had ordered around 90 attacks of at least battalion strength, suffering 82,000 casualties to gain no more than a thousand yards of territory. Lance Corporal PM Dickins is assumed to have been one of those killed in action on 14 September 1916.

His burial took place at Villers Station Cemetery, Villers au Bois, which had been begun by the French but was used by Commonwealth divisions and field ambulances from the time they took over this part of the front in July 1916. It is, of course, possible that he had been injured earlier and died from his wounds.

https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/villers-station-cemetery.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Army#World_War_I

Gilbert Collingwood Dickins

The younger Gilbert was only 15 in 1911, living at Braintree, apparently with his grandparents, at the time of the Census in that year.

He enlisted with 1/5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade) that, on 10 February 1916, was transferred to 169th Brigade in 56th (London) Division. This Division had been concentrated in the Hallencourt area before taking part in a diversionary attack at Gommecourt on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Details of the engagement are given on http://www.gommecourt.co.uk

Gilbert’s name is included on the list of casualties within 56th (London) Division: - Roll of Honour of the men of the1/5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) who died in front of Gommecourt, 1st July 1916, Dickins, Gilbert Collingwood, 2548, Rfn.

It would seem that his parents, Mr and Mrs, Dickins, moved out of the Ashtead area after the Great War was over because John M Dickens death, aged 76, was registered in Reigate, 6/1922.

text: Brian Bouchard: if you can add to this page please contact the editor
page added 12 Mar 2009