John Burgess Dickinson was born in the summer of 1894, the second son of Peter Dickinson and Margaret (née Burgess). His parents, both born in Altcar, married in 1887, and had ten children. John had older siblings Mary, Joseph, Annie, and Mabel, and younger siblings William, Emily, Richard, Thomas, and Lily.  John was baptised on 16th September 1894, parents’ residence Altcar, and father’s occupation given as farm labourer. 

 

In 1901  the family is living in Gores Cottage, Altcar, with eight children.  His father, 34, is a road labourer, his mother is 39, John is 6.  Also living with them is his uncle, Richard Burgess, 51.  

 

His parents and six siblings are still in Gores Cottage in 1911.  His father is employed as a road labourer for the rural district council.  John, 16, appears as a farm labourer on Sutton Farm, employee of Henry Sutton, the neighbouring farm to Gores Cottage.

His father appears to have died in 1912, aged 46.

 

John was serving with the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Lance Corporal 30955 when he was killed in action on 23rd  March 1918, aged 23. 

The battalion diary gives an insight into the events of the day.

23^rd March

Battalion HQ established in position near North Bridge. Battalion in defensive positions N. of HAM

At 6.30 am our troops began to retire through the town and gave information that the enemy had broken through on their flanks and at 7am the bridge north of HAM was blown up. Slow retirement made through the town, the enemy having apparently entered from the South Eastern end and being well inside the town. At 7.30am the South Bridge was also blown up. Morning very misty and difficult to distinguish our troops from the enemy.

8.30am In conjunction with the 18^th Bn KLR position established N.E. of VERLAINES. During the morning our troops advanced and established a position on the crest of hill S.W. of HAM in spite of heavy machine gun fire. Two enemy M.G.’s captured and enemy aeroplane which had been flying low over our positions was brought down by rifle fire. Hostile machine guns and enemy aeroplanes very active, also enemy artillery in and S. of VERLAINES.

Battn H.Q. in sunken road about 200 yards N.E.of VERLAINES. About 12 noon details of 61^st Division passed through our position occupied by Bn. H.Q. under orders to capture VERLAINES. They went forward to positions occupied by our troops and dug in on the left of our position. Their positions were reconnoitred and found to be very unsatisfactory, and it was arranged that he should thin out and deploy his troops more to the left, ours being extended to keep joined up with him.

John's body was not recovered from the battlefield and his name is recorded on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

 

The amount of the War Gratuity suggests he served for two and a half years, enlisting in about August or September 1915.

 

John was initially declared Missing on 22nd March 1918 and his name was published in the list of Missing in the Weekly Casualty List on 14th May 1918.

 

Fred W. Miller, Esq., (relationship unknown), address Unity Building, 22 Lord Street, Liverpool, made enquiries with the International Red Cross, but received a reply dated 7th June 1918 that they held no POW records for him.

 

His death was later presumed, for official purposes, to have occurred on or since 22nd March 1918.

 

His mother Margaret, at Gores Cottage, received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £15.