Dixon, Alfred Alma
No.2021 – Private Alfred Alma Dixon – 28th Battalion AIF
Alfred Alma Dixon was born in South Fremantle in 1898 to Alfred and Eva Dixon. He was one of 11 children with Annie born 1886, James 1887, Wesley 1889, John Alexander 1891, Alma 1892, Cecil 1893, Gerald 1894, Ethel 1895, May 1900 and Charles in 1902. The family lived in Hampton Road and Alfred went to the local primary school and also served in the 86A Cadets which were based at Fremantle Drill Hall. After leaving school Alfred took up work as a labourer and also tried to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy but was not accepted due to being medically unfit.
On the 24th June 1915 aged just 18, Alfred went to the Perth Drill Hall and enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit with the Doctor finding him to be 5 feet 4 inches in height; weight of 132 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; dark complexion; blue eyes and dark brown hair. Alfred also had a tattoo of a heart on his right forearm and the word ‘Mother’ on his left forearm. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Alfred Dixon - right, John Alexander Dixon (left in photo) was an original in the 28th Battalion enlisting in 1915 (No.831) & later served with the 8th Field Company Engineers (No.4576); Wesley Augustus Dixon (centre in photo)also originally served in the 28th Battalion from 1915 (No.1922) but later transferred to the 7th Machine Gun Company and 2nd Machine Gun Battalion.
Alfred was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF and trained with them in WA until he left with them at Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Anchises” on the 2nd September 1915. After arriving in Egypt he was put into the Base Details Camp at Zeitoun and stayed here for a few weeks before being sent to Gallipoli. However with the evacuation about to begin Alfred was kept at Mudros and did not land at Anzac. He joined the 28th Battalion at Mudros on the 29th December 1915. Returning with them to Alexandria, Alfred spent the next three months in Egypt with the 28th Battalion. As part of the 2nd Division they were the first of the Australian Divisions to be sent to France, leaving Alexandria on the 16th March 1916. Arriving at Marseilles on the 21st March the men were put onto trains and sent to the north of France in the region south of Armentieres near Fleurbaix. They remained here till June 1916 and were then sent south to the Somme. Alfred was being utilised as a stretcher bearer in the 28th Battalion and served as such through July & August 1916 when the 28th Battalion were involved in operations at Pozieres. He survived these battles unscathed and a later one in November 1916 when the 28th launched an assault on the German trenches at Flers. Alfred served through the French winter of 1916/17 and into the Hindenburg Line outpost battles of February/March 1917. In May when the 28th again took heavy casualties at Bullecourt, Alfred would have evacuated many.
On the 6th May 1917 he was granted leave to France and no doubt it would have been an enjoyable two week break as he had fought through the past year in some major battles. Alfred was sent to Hospital in France after his return and was admitted to No.3 Canadian General Hospital with pyrexia of unknown origin. On the 5th June he embarked for England where he was admitted to Shornecliffe Military Hospital with enteritis and general debility. He remained here till the 29th June 1917 when he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. On the 3rd July 1917 Alfred had improved to be granted a period of furlough after which time he was to report to the Overseas Training Depot at Perham Downs Camp. On the 16th July he reported in to Perham Downs and he remained in camp until the 6th August 1917 when he proceeded to Folkestone Harbour to join a troopship for France. Arriving at Le Havre on the 8th August 1917 he was sent to the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot where he remained until the 24th August. Alfred was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 26th August 1917.
The 28th Battalion were then in preparation for a move into the line to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On September 20th 1917 the 28th Battalion took part in what would become known as the Battle of Menin Road. The attack was successful with the battalion gaining all their objectives though during the battle Alfred was killed in action. A Private J. Rafferty stated that Alfred;
“was Stretcher Bearing with us at Polygon Wood on the 20th September when he got a wound in the arm. He went to the aid post to have it attended to and was killed there by a shell. I saw his dead body”.
Alfred Dixon (right in photo below) was buried by the dressing station and after the war was exhumed and reburied at Hooge Crater Cemetery in plot VI.C.11. His mother would receive a pension of 14/- per fortnight after his death.
His brothers, James Alma Dixon; John Alexander Dixon and Wesley Augustus Dixon all survived the war.