Private Robert Dixon - S/N 66647 - Northumberland Fusilier

[Guest zippygabby2]

Hi,

I am trying to find any information, service details for my Great Uncle Robert Dixon - Service Number 66647. Who served with the Northumberland Fusilliers 1/6th Battalion Territorial Force. He died on 11th April 1918 and is buried at Croix-Du-Bac British Cemetery Steenwerck. His name is on the Middlesborough War Memorial. I am trying to find out which where and when he joined up, campaigns he fought in and where he died. Any help would be gratefully recieved.

Many thanks

Sam

[Ellis1918]

CWGC show him incorrectly (?) as serving with the 1st/9th battalion. He enlisted in Middlesborough probably to a training reserve battalion .

Men with similar numbers appear to have enlisted late 1915 early 1916. His medal index card show he did not go overseas until after 1915. But as he died aged 18 in 1918 most likely 1917 enlisrment unless he gave a false age.

There are 5 NF men from 1st/6th battn buried at Croix-Du-Bac all dying on 11 Apr 1918. The cemetery has 291 graves in total.

William Morton no 66694 died on the same day also aged just 18.

This was the period of the German Spring Offensive when the British army was in retreat and in disarray . Croix-Du-Bac was in German hands on 10th Apr 1918

His battalion had been involved in the Battle of Rosieres as part of 50th Northumberland Division around 26th - 27th March.

Look at Long Long Trail ( sister site to this) for details of actions by 50th Northuberland Div.

[Graham Stewart]

Not a lot to go on here, but as already stated he was a casualty with the 1/6th Bn, N.F.. Sources show he did enlist at Middlesbrough and I suspect he was a conscript with this number, possibly being called up around February/March 1917.

Ellis1918 has filled you in with a lot of detail, but a read of the "History of 50th Division" and the Battalion War Diary, will give you a better understanding of the events as they occurred.

[RaySearching]

Robert is down on SDGW as died

Barring accidents and giving the date 1918 and his age 18 when he died

Robert was most likely to have been a victim of the flu pandemic

regards Ray

[Ellis1918]

With respect Raysearcher there are 85 men of 1st/6th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers died/killed on 11th Apr 1918 commemorated on panel 2 of the Ploegstreet Memorial.

Think we can rule "flu" out

[RaySearching]

CWGC show him incorrectly (?) as serving with the 1st/9th battalion. He enlisted in Middlesborough probably to a training reserve battalion .

Men with similar numbers appear to have enlisted late 1915 early 1916. His medal index card show he did not go overseas until after 1915. But as he died aged 18 in 1918 most likely 1917 enlisrment unless he gave a false age.

There are 5 NF men from 1st/6th battn buried at Croix-Du-Bac all dying on 10 Apr 1918. The cemetery has 291 graves in total.

William Morton no 66694 died on the same day also aged just 18.

This was the period of the German Spring Offensive when the British army was in retreat and in disarray . Croix-Du-Bac was in German hands on 10th Apr 1918

His battalion had been involved in the Battle of Rosieres as part of 50th Northumberland Division around 26th - 27th March.

Look at Long Long Trail ( sister site to this) for details of actions by 50th Northuberland Div.

Hi ELLIS 1918

I am presuming the highlighted above is a typo and should read 11 April 1918

Nevertheless Robert Dixon and the other Northumberland Fusiliers who are listed as having died on the 11 April 1918 and are buried in Croix-Du-Bac

Their remains were collected from various locations on the battlefields and reburied in Croix-Du-Bac after the Armistice !

Regards Ray

[RaySearching]

With respect Raysearcher there are 85 men of 1st/6th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers died/killed on 11th Apr 1918 commemorated on panel 2 of the Ploegstreet Memorial.

Think we can rule "flu" out

also with respect

He is listed as died on SDGW / died means died , not killed or killed in action or died from wounds

You cannot rule out flu

regards Ray

Edit died on SDGW could encompass various causes of death illness, accidental death, drowning, suicide, froze to death

etcetera

I stand by my original opinion

Baring accidents and giving the date 1918 and his age 18 when he died Robert was most likely to have been a victim

of the flu pandemic (illness the most likely cause of his early demise)

[Ellis1918]

I'll stock up on lemsips then

My typo in post 2 now edited - thank you

Of the 85 1st/6th NF men on the Ploegstreet Memorial for 11th Apr 1918 :-

Sample surnames A to N 39 men in total on SDGW - 8 show as KIA 31 show as died

Lets just agree that we will never know - TRUCE

[draperju]

The 149th Brigade at this time were in the front line near Estaires trying to hold up the German offensive. Although died is used. In this case nobody knew what was going constant realignments and retreats.

Read the Divisional history of 50th Division

The War Diary for one of the battalions in this brigade is downloadable It will give you an idea what was going on at the time.

Also The Battle for Flanders by Chris Baker

Also When the lantern burned low by Rev Callin, also a free download from a Canadian Archive

This will give you an idea of intensity of the fighting and how in many cases it was by isolated pockets of determined resistance fighting to the last man

My interpretation for the death is that he was killed during these torrid times by the enemy. Many Battalion were unable to cope and excused themselves from writing War Diaries.

Casualties were high and officers suffered greatly. In many cases the fight was by isolated groups who were either killed, captured. The Germans were not exactly angels to their prisoners.

[Graham Stewart]

Fact - The Northumberland Fusiliers section of SDGW does indeed have many, many men who are described as 'Died' and after over twenty years of putting a Database of 94,000 of them together, you will find those on "Memorials" and listed as 'Died' are infact MIA's. Those who Died of Wounds in Base Hospitals etc or of Illness or Accidental Injuries will more often than not have a grave.

[RaySearching]

I cannot but agree with the above two posts made by Graham and Draperju

The Germans was advancing small pockets of soldiers became isolated and overrun

Heavy fighting retreats advances chaos and confusion reigned at times,

Quite a lot of soldiers went missing during the fighting their fates unknown,

It is quite possible that a large number of soldiers who went missing were listed as died during this period (their fates unknown)

Equally an increasing number of soldiers were being incapacitated after being exposed to the flu virus in March 1918,

Not all could be evacuated to a base hospital during heavy fighting some soldiers just curled up in their trenches or dugouts and simply died

To maintain moral wartime censors minimised early reports of illnesses due to the flu virus

Whilst I agree that a number of soldiers who went missing during this period and subsequently listed as died, May have been killed in action

I had to disagree with the (Think we can rule "flu" out ) made in post 5

Robert Dixon's cause of death will possibly remain unknown

regards Ray

[Graham Stewart]

I cannot but agree with the above two posts made by Graham and Draperju

The Germans was advancing small pockets of soldiers became isolated and overrun

Heavy fighting retreats advances chaos and confusion reigned at times,

Quite a lot of soldiers went missing during the fighting their fates unknown,

It is quite possible that a large number of soldiers who went missing were listed as died during this period (their fates unknown)

Equally an increasing number of soldiers were being incapacitated after being exposed to the flu virus in March 1918,

Not all could be evacuated to a base hospital during heavy fighting some soldiers just curled up in their trenches or dugouts and simply died

To maintain moral wartime censors minimised early reports of illnesses due to the flu virus

Whilst I agree that a number of soldiers who went missing during this period and subsequently listed as died, May have been killed in action

I had to disagree with the (Think we can rule "flu" out ) made in post 5

Robert Dixon's cause of death will possibly remain unknown

regards Ray

You have to remember after every action a "Nominal Roll" is called by the unit to try and establish what has happened to those who are not present. Positive deaths as seen by witnesses are recorded, those not witnessed will be placed as 'missing'. Your senior NCO's carried 'Platoon Roll Books' in which every man serving in the Platoon was recorded and these were constantly updated, as were the Battalion War Diaries. The details of those recorded as 'missing' would eventually be passed up the chain, to eventually end up in "The Enquiry List" - and it was from this List that the British Red Cross, would with others, try and establish what had happened to those who were 'missing', i.e. was there a possibility that they were in 'Enemy' hands.

Please remember that this is an Army which functions under Orders, Rules, Regulations and Instructions - not on a whim. Hence the Army Council Instruction - "Personnel reported missing. Accounting for in Strength Returns".

[RaySearching]

It appears from the new documents on CWGC, That Robert Dixon was previously buried elsewhere

His body exhumed during the battlefield clearances and re-interred in Croix Du Bac after the armistice

Regards Ray

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/279671/DIXON,%20ROBERT