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.

De Pass F A Lt VC Indian Army

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De Pass F A Lt VC Indian Army

De Pass F A Lt VC Indian Army

LIEUTENANT F. A. DE PASS VC

34th PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR’S OWN POONA HORSE

FRANK ALEXANDER DE PASS was the second son of Eliot Arthur and Beatrice de Pass, of Queen’s Gate Terrace, London.

He entered the School in 1901 and passed third into the R.M.A., Woolwich, in 1904. He obtained his Commission in the Royal Field Artillery in January, 1906, and was promoted Lieutenant in 1909. In this year, his Battery being stationed in India, he applied for and obtained a Commission in the 34th Poona Horse. In November, 1913, he was appointed Orderly Officer to the Chief of the Staff in India, with the local rank of Captain, but rejoined his Regiment on the outbreak of War and accompanied it to France in September, 1914.

He was killed near Festubert, in French Flanders, on November 25th, 1914, under circumstances which are described in the following report written two days later by the captain in command. For his conduct on this occasion he was subsequently mentioned in Despatches in January, and again in May, 1915, and was awarded the Victoria Cross in February, 1915. Age 27.

Report of the Captain in Command of Detachment of 34th Poona Horse:- “On arrival in the trenches at 4 am. on the 23rd, it was discovered that the enemy had driven a sap up to the parapet of that part of the trenches allotted to the Poona Horse. The enemy had blown in the main parapet and a breach of eight feet in length existed, leaving the trench exposed to rifle fire from the sap.”

“A troop was told off to hold the breach pending daylight, when a careful inspection could be made, with orders to erect a traverse at once, to cover themselves from rifle fire.”

“Lieut. de Pass asked permission to have the defence of this breach placed under his orders. The request was granted. As soon as it was daylight the O.C. Detachment Poona Horse inspected the breach, and, in order to ascertain what was in the sap called for a volunteer to enter and proceed along it toward enemy’s lines.”

“Sowar Abdullah Khan volunteered and entered the sap. He returned and reported that the enemy had erected a sandbag traverse about ten yards from the trenches at a point where the sap makes its first bend, and that a man with a rifle was at a loop-hole. At 8 a.m. the enemy commenced throwing bombs into our trenches from their side of this loop-holed traverse. This continued all day and caused several casualties.”

“Early on the morning of the 24th, Lieut. de Pass, accompanied by Sowars Fateh Khan and Firman Shah, entered the enemy’s sap, and, proceeding along it, Lieut. de Pass placed a charge of gun cotton in the enemy’s loop-hole, and fired the charge, completely demolishing the traverse and rounding off the bend sufficiently to expose the sap for some thirty yards to our rifle fire. While this was being done the enemy threw a bomb at Lieut. de Pass’s party, which fortunately missed and exploded behind them. “This action of Lieut. de Pass stopped all bomb throwing by the enemy during the 24th, and its effect can be better gauged by the fact that there was only one casualty that day, compared with six the day before, and nine the day after, when, under cover of darkness on the night of 24-25, the enemy replaced their loop-holed sandbag traverse.”

“The same day Lieut. de Pass, accompanied by a trooper of the 7th Dragoon Guards, went out in broad daylight and brought in a sepoy of the 58th Rifles, who was lying wounded in the rear of our trenches, at about 200 feet distance. Lieut. de Pass did not ask permission to do this but acted on his own initiative. Lieut. de Pass again volunteered to enter the enemy’s sap and blow up the traverse, but permission was refused.”

“About 3 p.m. on the 25th the bomb-throwing by the enemy became worse, and Lieut. de Pass went to the head of the sap to supervise repairs to our defences, which had been seriously impaired. He endeavoured to shoot the enemy’s sniper through a loop-hole, and in so doing was himself shot through the head. I consider that Lieut. de Pass’s conduct throughout was most intrepid, and that his actions were a magnificent example to the men of the Detachment.”

The Official record of the services for which he received the Victoria Cross was as follows:-Lieut. Frank Alexander de Pass (Killed), 34th Poona Horse.

“For conspicuous bravery near Festubert on the 24th November, in entering a German sap and destroying a traverse in the face of the enemy’s bombs, and for subsequently rescuing, under heavy fire, a wounded man who was lying exposed in the open. Lieutenant de Pass lost his life on this day in a second attempt to capture the aforementioned sap, which had been re-occupied by the enemy.”

* Private C. Cook, who, for this, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Davies G 2nd Lt 24th London Regiment

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Davies G 2nd Lt 24th London Regiment

Davies G 2nd Lt 24th London Regiment

SECOND LIEUTENANT G. DAVIES

24th (COUNTY OF LONDON) BATTALION, THE LONDON REGIMENT (THE QUEEN’S), T.F

.GRIFFITH DAVIES was the eldest surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Davies, Downhurst, Ealing.

He entered the School in 1907, left in 1911, matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford, and was in France, reading for honours, when War broke out. Returning as soon as the completion of the French mobilisation permitted, he joined the 24th Battalion London Regiment and went on active service with it in March, 1915. He was shot through the lower part of the body when getting his platoon into trenches in an exposed position under fire in bright moonlight, on April 29th, and died in Hospital at Béthune on May 1st, 1915. Age 22.

His Colonel said :-“He was doing well in every way, giving a good example of coolness under fire, and having a good influence generally.”

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Curtler F G O Lt 2nd Worcestershire Regiment

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Curtler F G O Lt 2nd Worcestershire Regiment

Curtler F G O Lt 2nd Worcestershire Regiment

LIEUTENANT F. G. O. CURTLER

2n BATTALION THE WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

FREDERICK GWATKIN OLDHAM CURTLER was the only son of Frederick Lewis and Nannie Gwatkin Curtler, of Bevere House, Worcester. He entered the School in 1907, and left in 1909. He obtained a Commission in the Special Reserve in 1912, and went with the First Expeditionary Force to France at the beginning of the War. He was present at the Retreat from Mons and in the Battles of the Marne and of the Aisne, and in the first Battle near Ypres. He was killed in action near the village of St. Julien, on October 21st, 1914. Age 21.

A man of his Company describing the action in which he fell wrote of

him in the following terms:-“I cannot see any mention in the papers of one very brave young Officer, my Platoon Commander. We were ordered to advance across some open country in face of the enemy’s guns. We kept on, losing many of our comrades, until within range of the German rifles, when we were ordered to dig ourselves in. I dug head-cover for myself and Mr. Curtler, as he was running from place to place with orders, and in doing this he was shot. We have lost one of our best Officers and a true British soldier.”

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Cumming L B Lt 1st Black Watch

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Cumming L B Lt 1st Black Watch

Cumming L B Lt 1st Black Watch

LIEUTENANT L. R. CUMMING

1st BATTALION THE BLACK WATCH (ROYAL HIGHLANDERS)

LEWIS ROBERTSON CUMMING was the eldest son of John Fleetwood Cumming, J.P., of Aberlour, Strathspey, by his marriage with Beatrice Gordon Bryson Kynoch.

He came to the School in 1906, and left in 1910. He entered the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1911, and was gazetted to his Regiment in 1912, and promoted Lieutenant in May, 1914.

He went to the Front with the First Expeditionary Force in August, 1914, and fought in the Retreat from Mons and the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne. He was Scout Officer of the Regiment, and at the Battle of the Aisne his duties were with the Colonel at Headquarters. Things were not going too well, and many casualties caused the Colonel to go forward. Lieutenant Cumming collected a few men and went with a supply of ammunition to the firing line. He succeeded in getting this distributed, but was killed immediately afterwards, on September 14th, 1914. Age 22.

His Major wrote:-“We have lost a very promising and gallant comrade, who had done splendid service to the Regiment in the very trying time we have had since Mons.”

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Cruickshank A H P Captain Indian Army

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Cruickshank A H P Captain Indian Army

Cruickshank A H P Captain Indian Army

CAPTAIN A. H. P. CRUICKSHANK

32nd SIKH PIONEERS INDIAN ARMY

ARTHUR HENRY PRINSEP CRUICKSHANK was the second son of Alexander Walmesley Cruickshank, C.S.I., I.C.S., and Fanny Nina, daughter of Clarmont J. Daniell (O.R., 1850), I.C.S.

He entered the School in 1898, passed into the R.M.A., Woolwich, in 1901, and, receiving a Commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery, was posted to the Cape in 1903. He exchanged in 1904 into the Indian Army and was gazetted in October, 1905, to the 32nd Sikh Pioneers. In 1907 he made a journey from Bandar Abbas to Shiraz, an account of which appeared in the “Geographical Journal” of February, 1908. He was promoted Captain in 1912.

On November 23rd, 1914, he was wounded at Givenchy, whilst attached to the 34th Sikhs. On April 27th, 1915, he was again wounded near Ypres, and died the next day. Age 31.

He married, in July, 1914, Helena Marsden, eldest daughter of William C. Herring, of Wraysbury House, Bucks.

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Crawley-Boevy E M Captain 1st Royal Sussex Regiment

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Crawley-Boevy E M Captain 1st Royal Sussex Regiment

CAPTAIN E. M. CRAWLEY-BOEVEY

Ist BATTALION THE ROYAL SUSSEX REGIMENT

EDWARD MARTIN CRAWLEY-BOEVEY was the second son of Sir Thomas Crawley-Boevey, Bart., of Flaxley Abbey, Newnham, Gloucestershire. He entered the School in 1887, left in 1892, entered the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1894, was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1895, promoted Lieutenant in 1897, and Captain in 1902.

He served in the South African War, taking part in the actions at Houtnek, Vet River, Zand River, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill, Wittenburg, and Ladybrand, was mentioned in Despatches, and received the Queen’s Medal with four Clasps, and the King’s Medal with two. As a Lieutenant he was sent with one hundred men from the Cape to represent the Regiment at King Edward’s Coronation. When the War broke out, he was at the Depôt at Chichester, after having served several years with the 1st Battalion in India.

He was a skilful company leader, a noted marksman, an excellent draughtsman, and was greatly esteemed by all ranks, especially by the men of his own Company. The complete confidence he inspired in his sub- ordinates may be shown by a sentence taken from a letter written by one of his junior brother Officers: “I can truly say, without any flattery, that I would have followed him to Hell.”

He was killed in the trenches, near Bailleul, on December 24th, 1914 being at the time attached to the 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, to which Regiment he had taken out a draft in November. Age 41.

He married, in 1905, Winifred, youngest daughter of Colonel Sartorius, C.B., of Thorwald, Godalming, Surrey, and left one son.

Combe S B Lt North Irish Horse

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Combe S B Lt North Irish Horse

Combe S B Lt North Irish Horse

LIEUTENANT S. B. COMBE

NORTH IRISH HORSE

SAMUEL BARBOUR COMBE was the third son of Abram Combe (O.R., 1866-69), J.P., of Donaghcloney House, County Down, and Emilie Caroline his wife.

He entered the School in 1894, and left in 1897 to complete his education in France. He was Master of the County Down Staghounds for seven years, till his death. In 1911 he joined the North Irish Horse, and in 1914 was appointed local Intelligence Officer for the Counties of Antrim and Down, but relinquished these duties shortly after the outbreak of War in order to accompany his Regiment to the Front, with which he took part in the retreat and subsequent advance of August and September, 1914.

On September 30th, while on outpost duty with his troop, before the German position on the Aisne, he received an order to ascertain whether the Germans were still holding Condé-sur-Aisne in force. He undertook this task alone, fully appreciating, as an expert scout officer, its hazardous nature. He succeeded in advancing across the plain to the south-west of Condé to within a short distance of Condé bridge, although this area was swept by artillery and rifle fire from the German position on the higher land on the other side of the river, and presented little cover. As he did not return patrols were sent out later to search for him, but these patrols were fired on from Condé and were forced to return. He was officially reported missing on October 2nd.

In December certain information reached his relatives, through neutral channels, from a German Officer who himself has since been killed, to the effect that Lieut. Combe had been shot by the Germans while approaching this position. This German Officer paid a high tribute to the British Officer’s courage, and intimated that the Germans had buried him at Condé Castle, which stands several miles inside the German position. In recognition of his bravery the enemy accorded him a formal burial and held a service over his grave, on which they placed a cross with the dead Officer’s name and Regiment, and the words “Pro Patria” upon it. He was killed on September 30th, 1914. Age 35.

Lieut. Combe married, in 1902, Mary Teresa, second daughter of Colonel Thomas Waring, D., sometime M.P. for County Down, of Waringstown, Co. Down, and left two sons.

Clarke W H 2nd Lt 3rd Worcestershire Regiment

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Clarke W H 2nd Lt 3rd Worcestershire Regiment

SECOND LIEUTENANT W. H. CLARKE

3RD BATTALION THE WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

WILLIAM HAMILTON CLARKE was the second son of Lieut.-Col. Sir Edward H. St. Lawrence Clarke, Bart., of Rossmore, Co. Cork, Ireland, whose elder son had also been killed in the War.

He entered the School in 1906. He was Head of the School House in 1911, in the XV from 1910 to the Spring term of 1912, when he was Captain, and in the XI in 1912. He was one of the Racquet Pair in 1911 and 1912, and helped to win the Public Schools’ Championship for Rugby in 1911. He entered Queen’s College, Oxford, in October, 1912, and on the declaration of War joined the 5th Special Reserve Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment and went out to join the 3rd Battalion at the end of December, 1914.

He was killed at Spanbroek Molen, near Kemmel, in Flanders, on March 12th, 1915. Two Companies were ordered to assault a section of German trenches and were exposed to very heavy front and flank fire. All the Officers of “A Company, to which he belonged, were killed. He reached the trench with about 40 men, but was killed as he arrived.

Age 22.

The assault was described by Col. Stuart, Commanding the Battalion, as magnificently carried out.

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

CLARKE, WILLIAM HAMILTON, 2nd Lieut., 5th, attd. 3rd Battn. The Worcestershire Regt., yr. s. of Lieut.-Col. Sir Edward Henry St. Lawrence Clarke, of Rossmore, co . Cork, 4th Bart., Commanding 12th (Service) Battn: The Worcestershire Regt., by his wife, Susan Douglas, dau. of Charles Langton, of Barkhill, Aigburth, Liverpool ; and brother to Lieut. John Edward Langton Clarke (q.v.) b. Henwick, near Worcester, 25 Dec. 1892 ; educ. Hamilton House, Bath ; Rugby, and Queen’s College, Oxford ; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 5th Worcestershire Regt. 5 Aug. 1914 ; went to France at the end of Dec., when he was attached to the 3rd Battn., and was killed in action at Spanbrock Molen, near Kemmel, 12 March, 1915. Buried at Kemmel. While at Rugby he was head of the School House in 1911 and 1912 ; in the XV. from 1910 to the spring term of 1912, when he was captain ; in the XI. in 1912, being also one of the Racquet Pair in 1911 and 1912, and helping to win the Public Schools Championship for Rugby in 1911 ; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 2

Christie W C Major 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment

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Christie W C Major 1st Royal Warwickshre Regiment

MAJOR W. C. CHRISTIE

1st BATTALION THE ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT

WILLIAM CHARLES CHRISTIE was the elder son of John Robert Christie, Shipowner, of Llandaff, and of Margaret, daughter of Nicholas Strong, of Greenock.

He entered the School in 1887, and won the “Crick” twice, in 1890 and 1891, and had his Football Cap in 1891. He passed into the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1891, and passed out with honours. He was promoted Captain in 1900, and Major in 1902.

He served in the Soudan Expedition of 1898, and was present at the Battles of the Atbara and Omdurman. He was mentioned in Despatches, and was awarded the Queen’s Medal, the Khedive’s Medal with two Clasps, and the Order of the Medjidieh, 4th Class.

He served in the South African War (1899-1902), and was present in the actions at Vet River, Zand River, Diamond Hill, and Belfast. He was again mentioned in Despatches, and was appointed Brevet-Major, being at that time the youngest Major in the Army, and was awarded the Queen’s Medal with five Clasps, and the King’s Medal with two Clasps. In 1912 he was appointed Adjutant to the Officers’ Training Corps of both Birmingham and Bristol Universities, and of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, but rejoined his Regiment immediately on the out- break of War, and went to the Front with the 1st Army Corps, in August,1914.

He was in the Retreat from Mons, and the Battles of the Marne and of the Aisne, and was twice mentioned in Despatches. He was killed in action while leading an attack on the village of Meteren, near Bailleul, on October 13th, 1914. Age 41.

The Major commanding his Regiment wrote:-

“Charles Christie was the bravest soldier in the British Army, and his loss to us is simply irreparable. He died leading his men in one of the best achievements of the British Army.”

A brother Officer said :-

“A more gallant Officer and gentleman never breathed. My Company and his made our attack on a village up one side of a road, with another Company across the road. We were advanced guard to the Brigade. We got the position we wanted chiefly owing to Christie’s gallantry. He was as cheery as possible, always giving us the lead. I heard one of the men remark, ‘He’s a daring man. I hope we don’t lose him.””

Another Officer wrote:-

“He was a most gallant Officer, a man who had absolutely no sense of fear. Under fire he was exactly the same as he was in the ordinary routine of Regimental life. He stood out, in his brave way, as a model to Officers and men serving under him. He could never have done anything small or petty, and in his Regiment everyone loved him, and his influence was felt in all ranks.”

Another Officer wrote:-

“There is one thought which consoles me a great deal, and that is the sincere conviction that the influence which Charles Christie exerted insensibly on his fellow men, remains a living force in the world. His example of simple-minded Quixotism influenced all with whom he was brought into contact and that influence is immortal: it will leaven, in its own degree, all succeeding generations of Englishmen. This is my firm belief. There is not an Officer or man in his Regiment, there is not a Cadet in his Training Corps, who is not a better man for the direct influence that emanated from him. There are no two opinions about this. He was loved and admired by everyone who had the privilege of his acquaintance.”

A friend who had known Major Christie all his life tells the following

anecdote:-

“I was serving as a trooper in the South African War when I chanced to be engaged, with some Mounted Infantry under Major Christie’s command, in a little skirmish. Hearing one of the M.I. ‘Tommies” grumbling at having to hold an uncomfortable position, I asked the grumbler, a typical Birmingham lad, what he was ‘grousing’ about, and received the following reply: ‘It’s this Christie. We are always in the thick of it with him, and the worst of it is, there’s not one of us as wouldn’t go to ‘ell with him willingly.’ No soldier could ask for a more spontaneous or genuine tribute to his capabilities.”

He married in 1909, Florence Violet, daughter of William Vernon Biden, of Lillington Manor, Leamington, and left one infant son.

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1