2nd Lieut James Galloway Dixon

• Age: 31
• From: Southport, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

James Galloway Dixon was born in 1885 in Bowdon, Cheshire  the son of James Galloway Dixon and his wife Dora Elizabeth (nee Tolson) who were married in 1883 in Kendal. He was baptised on the 24th January, 1886 at St John’s Church, Altrincham.   

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 8 Preston Road, North Meols, Southport. His father, James Galloway is aged 42, born in Manchester and whose occupation is shown as a Cotton Yarn Agent, whilst his mother, Dora Elizabeth, is aged 33, born in Ambleside, Westmoreland. They have three children, James G. Junior is aged 5 b,Bowdon, Dora H. aged 3 b.Bowdon and Lancelot R. aged 10 months b.Southport. The have a visitor Agnes Tolson 64 b.Ambleside, (this is James' grandmother) and 2 servants. 

He was educated at Sedbergh School, Cheshire.

Prior to the outbreak of the war he had been employed by Messrs Minoprio and Co. at the Liverpool Cotton Association for eight to nine years. He had been a member of the Southport Corinthian Yacht Club for several years and was associated with the Wayfarers Club, Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 16 Park Avenue, Southport. His father, James Galloway is aged 62, born 1849 in Manchester and whose occupation is shown as a Cotton Merchant, whilst his mother, Dora Elizabeth, is aged 53, born 1858 in Ambleside. They have two children, both born in Bowdon, Cheshire. James Galloway Junior is aged 25, born 1886 and occupation Cotton Salesman and Dora Hope Junior aged 23, born 1888 with no occupation. Also living at the address is George Reinhard Seidenburg, a Guest aged 21, born 1890 in Bremen, Germany and occupation Clerk, Ellen Mitchell a Housekeeper aged 36, born 1875 in Millom and Edith Haycocks a Servant aged 36, born 1875 in Liverpool.

James enlisted on the 01st September 1914 in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15185. He was aged 29 years and 44 days and gave his occupation as Cotton Salesman. He stated that he had previously served in the Sedbergh School Rifle Corps. He was described as being 6 feet and a half inch tall, weighed 174lbs, of dark complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham.

05th April 1915 whilst at Prescot, he was admonished for being absent from midnight 02.04.15 to 09.30am 03.04.15 and forfeited a day’s pay.

He was discharged on the 30^th July, 1915 there for the purpose of being re-enlisted in the Inns of Court O.T.C.  (Authority G.O.C. 89^TH Infantry Brigade, letter dated 21.06.15). He was aged 30 years and twelve days and was 6 feet and a half inch tall. He had already served 333 days (01.09.14-30.07.15). 

He was serving as a Second Lieutenant in 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment when he was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 31 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Soldiers Effects and Pension to father James Galloway. 

Probate on his estate was granted on 08th December 1916 to his Father James Galloway Dixon of £564 10s, 7d.

He is also commemorated locally on the family headstone at Duke Street Cemetery, Southport:

James is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Southport Civic Memorial

Emmanuel C. of E. Church

Sedbergh School War Memorial, Busk Lane Sedbergh

Liverpool Cotton Association War Memorial. 

His father died, aged 75, on the 19th Decemeber 1923.

His mother died, aged 95, in 1950.  

We currently have no further information on James Galloway Dixon, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.