1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 50233 Joseph Dixon
- Age: 19
- From: Blackburn
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
- Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6
Joseph was born on 19th September 1897 in Blackburn and was baptised 17th October 1897 at St Matthew’s C. of E. Church, Blackburn. He was the younger son of Joseph Dixon and his wife Mary Ann (nee Aspin). His parents married in Blackburn in 1888.
On the 1901 Census the family had moved to 225 Higher Audley Street, Blackburn. Head of the household is Jane Aspin, aged 54 and a publican, his widowed mother Mary Ann Dixon is 32 years old. She has tow sons; William 11 and Joseph 3. They have a servant Lydia Webster 49.
His mother, Mary Ann, remarried on the 03rd May 1905 at St Matthew's Church, Blackburn to John Haworth and they had a daughter Ethel born in the September quarter of 1905.
His mother sadly died in 1908 at the age of 39, leaving Joseph an orphan.
The 1911 Census shows Joseph living at 42 Nottingham Street, Blackburn. Mary Jane Haworth is the head of the household aged 48, born 1863 a house worker and was born in Darwen. Her sister Caroline is aged 44 born 1867 occupation weaver and born Darwin. Their brother John, (Joseph's stepfather) is a widower aged 40, born 1871 also a weaver and born in Darwen is at the address along with his nephews William aged 21, born 1890 a millwright, Joseph aged 13, born 1898 at school and Ethel a niece is aged 5, born 1906 at school.
Joseph was conscripted in Blackburn and originally served as Private 38003 in the East Lancashire Regiment.
A small draft of East Lancashire Regiment soldiers who conscripted in March 1917 and "graduated" into the East Lancashire Regiment but did not serve overseas with that unit. The 15 recruits, all of similar background (East Lancashire Regimental numbers, age and geography) appear on an alpha-numeric list created at 30 IBD, Etaples in June 1917 where they received new numbers. Those with surnames A-L (became 50224-50258) and went to 17th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment) and those with surnames M-Z (became 50259-50293) and went to 20th Battalion King's (Liverpool Regiment).
Joseph was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50233 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917 aged 19 during the Third Battle of Ypres.
The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows:
On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.
The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.
Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.
During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August.
Joseph was one of those casualties referred to.
His death was reported in the Blackburn Times:
"He was a servant of one of our officers (Mr. Davies) and both were hit by the same shell. Mr. Davies was wounded but unfortunately, Pte. Dixon was instantly killed. He was a brave and true British soldier"
Soldiers Effects to step-father John Haworth, no Pension record found.
Joseph's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.
The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.
The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.
Joseph is also commemorated on the Blackburn Roll of Honour.
His step-father, John Haworth died in the December quality of 1946, aged 76.
We currently have no further information on Joseph Dixon, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(108 Years this day)Sunday 16th June 1918.
Pte 57615 Fred William Preddy
23 years old
(105 Years this day)
Thursday 16th June 1921.
Captain Leonard George Duncan
43 years old