In August 1915, he enlisted in Newcastle in the
Royal Engineers.
Even the
Royal Engineers could not have constructed a drill with the circumference of a bicycle wheel, then drilled a shaft through half a mile of solid rock, with three curves in the shaft and a metal lining to facilitate a lift to bring the men up.
Lt Col Bobby Walton-Knight,
Royal Engineers Commanding Officer, said: "He died doing a job he loved while defending his friends."
That gives the curators of the
Royal Engineers museum in Gillingham a huge array of material to choose from.
In the late 1950s, UK peacetime civil works responsibilities were transferred from the
Royal Engineers to a civilian agency.
The Army confirmed that Dickson, known as Dixie, served with the
Royal Engineers for nine years until he left in l988.
Born in Plymouth, the son of William Wheaton and Jane Brimacombe Chard (1847); attended the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, and commissioned lieutenant in the
Royal Engineers on graduation (1868); captain and brevet major at the outbreak of the Zulu War (early January 1879), and placed in charge of the crossing facilities at Rorke's Drift (near Ladysmith) on the Tugela River; commanded the tiny British garrison of 140 (of whom 30 were sick or wounded) and defended it successfully against repeated attacks by a force of 4,000 Zulus (night January 22-23); awarded a Victoria Cross, along with his fellow officer, Capt.
Not only did members of the church congregation and members of the
Royal Engineers Association turn up, but there was also a welcome visit from members of the Royal British Legion.
His company were at St Emile during the great German offensive in the spring of 1918, where the situation got so dire the
Royal Engineers had to fight as emergency infantry.
Pte Guegan, 45, is an Army Reserve Chef serving with The Royal Monmouthshire
Royal Engineers (Militia) and based in Swansea.
Rank: Sapper Regiment:
Royal Engineers Age: 28 Date of death: 11-5-1916 Buried at: Cardiff (Cathays) Cemetery WJ Howells Son of Mrs Margaret Fahey; Husband of Gwenneth May Howells, of 67 Ethel Street.