Author Archive: WW1 Photos

Scot S A Captain 5th Royal Irish Fusiliers

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Scot S A Captain 5th Royal Irish Fusiliers

SCOT SKIRVING, ARCHIBALD, Capt., 5th Battn Royal Irish Fusiliers, yr. s. of Robert Scot Skirving, M.B., of Sydney, N.S. W., by his wife, Lucy, dau. of the late Trefferson Hester, M.D.; b. Sydney, New South Wales, 7 Sept. 1884; educ. Sydney Grammar School; Eton House, Tonbridge; and the University of Sydney, at which last he graduated as M.B. and C.M. in 1911 with high honours, being the second man of his year. A resident medical officer in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney till 1913, he proceeded in that year to England to take the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, but on the outbreak of war at once volunteered for active service. He had previously joined the University Scouts in 1907, and the 2nd Australian Infantry Regt. in 1909, transferring from the latter in the following year to the N.S.W. Scottish Rifles, which became the 25th Australian Infantry under the new regulations, and after being temporarily attached to the Black Watch was given a commission as Lieut. in the Royal Irish Fusiliers, 4 Sept. 1914, and promoted Capt. 2 Dec. following. He died 9 Aug. 1915 (on board the hospital ship Valdivia), from wounds received near Suvla Bay, and was buried at sea five miles south of Imbros Island. The letters of his fellow officers show him to have been as able and keen in his military duties as he was capable and distinguished in his profession of medicine.

 

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Ronald J M Captain 2nd East Kent Regiment

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Ronald J M Captain East Kent Regiment

CAPTAIN J. M. RONALD East Kent Regiment Aged 38
April 23rd, 1915
Sixth son of Robert Bruce Ronald and of Fanny Ronald, of Pembury Grange, Tunbridge Wells. Monitor, 1894. Football XI, 1893-4• R.M.C., Sandhurst, 1895 Married, in 1903, Evelyn Crosthwait, and leaves a daughter.
Captain Ronald received his Commission in the Buffs in 1906 ; he got his Company in 1900, and was Adjutant from 1904 to 1907. He served with the 2nd Battalion in the South African War, and took part in the relief of Kimberley and the battles of Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, and Dreifontein, being twice slightly wounded. He received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps, and the King’s Medal with two clasps. He retired from the Army in 1912, but resumed service as a Railway Transport Officer on August 6th, 1914, and rejoined his Regiment the following March. He was shot through the head and instantaneously killed on April 23rd, 1915, about a mile from Wieltje Farm.

Source : Harrow Roll Of Honour 1914-1919 Vol 2

Dixon C M Major 16th Lancers

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Dixon C M Major 16th Lancers

Dixon C M Major 16th Lancers

MAJOR C. M. DIXON

16th (THE QUEEN’S) LANCERS

CLIVE MACDONNELL DIXON, of Chapelgarth, Stokesley, Yorkshire, was the eldest son of Sir Raylton Dixon, Ship Builder, of Gunnergate Hall, near Middlesborough, and of Lady Dixon, daughter of Robert Walker, M.D. He entered the School in 1884, left in 1887, and was gazetted to the 16th Lancers, then stationed at Lucknow, in 1890.

He saw service in the Chitral Campaign of 1895, receiving the Medal with Clasp, and went with the Indian Contingent to South Africa, on the outbreak of War in 1899. During the siege of Ladysmith he was A.D.C. to Sir George White, and Camp Commandant. He served through the whole War, was awarded the Brevet rank of Major, and received the two Medals with eight Clasps.

When this War was over he resigned his Commission, but immediately on the outbreak of War with Germany, Colonel MacEwen applied for Major Dixon to be his Second in Command, and he crossed to France with the Regiment in August, 1914.

He took part in the Retreat from Mons, and the Battles of the Marne and of the Aisne. He was mortally wounded when in temporary command of the 16th Lancers, who were gallantly holding their own in the trenches, against the enemy’s attacks, near Ypres, on November 5th, 1914. Age 45. He was mentioned in Despatches of January 14th, 1915. The following are extracts from letters from the General Commanding the Brigade, his Colonel and brother Officers :-

“It was a grand and gallant action, and gave one more proof of his splendid spirit. I never can tell you what good work he has done here, both in his skill and capacity in handling troops and in his grand constancy and cheerfulness in our moments of anxiety.” “I sent in his name for gallantry, on the second day of the Mons Battle, for carrying out of action, under a heavy shell fire, a man of the 18th Hussars, whose horse was shot-a typical act on his part.” ” He was adored by everyone, Officers and men. One of the finest characters I ever came across. He was a very fine soldier and did not know the meaning of fear.”

“He was acting most gallantly at the time he was shot, rallying some French who were next to us, and behaving in the splendid way that always stamped him as the very best. The example set is one that all might envy.”
And one of the men of the Regiment, writing home to his mother, said: “Major Dixon ran along the trench, telling us to stick it out and show what we were made of, and, as all of us were very fond of him, we did stick it out. ”

He was a keen sportsman and, also, a successful artist. He exhibited several large pictures at the Royal Academy. He married, in 1898, Lilian, daughter of John Bell, of Rushpool Hall, Saltburn, and Algiers, and had six children.