Dixon, John Alexander

No.4576 John Alexander Dixon – 8^th Field Company Engineers

John Alex Dixon grew up in the South Fremantle/Hamilton Hill district, having been born in Fremantle in 1891. He was working as a labourer prior to enlisting in the AIF. He was the first of the four Dixon brothers to enlist, being accepted at Swan Barracks in Perth on the 15^th March 1915. (John is on left in the photo)

The medical examiner passed John as fit and recorded his physical attributes as; 5 feet 7 inches in height; weight of 135lbs, chest measurement of 32-35 inches; fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

John was assigned to “A” Company of the 28^th Battalion with the regimental no.831 and after initial training in WA; he departed with this unit to Egypt. After his arrival John was transferred to the 5^th Field Company Engineers and served with them at Anzac from October till December 1915. He survived his time at Anzac Cove and after the evacuation they 5^th Field Company returned to Egypt. On the 10^th January 1916 the 5^th Filed Company Engineers was renumbered to the 8^th Field Company Engineers as another Company designated the 5^th, had arrived from Australia. In March 1916 the 8^th Field Company was assigned to the 5^th Division AIF.

During the past few months John and the 8^th FCE had been busy with the Suez Canal defence line, mainly around the Ferry Post position, but with the creation of the 5^th Division they began to take part in Divisional exercises.

On the 17^th June 1916 John and his unit left Egypt aboard the HMAT Manitou and sailed to France, disembarking at Marseilles on the 25^th June. They were sent north to Armentieres and sent into the line at Fleurbaix. The 8^th FCE supported the 8^th Brigade assault at Fromelles on the 19^th July 1916. Casualties were heavy for the 8^th FCE though John came through unscathed. He served right through to June 1917 without a break. He was then granted a furlough to England, rejoining his unit on the 4^th July 1917.

On the 2^nd October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres, John was evacuated to hospital with scabies though he had returned to his unit by the 14^th October. John only had one more break in the war and that was on the 15^th August 1918 when he was granted a two week furlough.

On the 10^th January 1919 he left his unit in Belgium and was sent to England where he spent time in camp. On the 21^st March 1919 he boarded the HMT Kildonan Castle and sailed for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 27^th April 1919.

James married Margaret Miller in Fremantle in 1925 and they took up residence in Hope Street Fremantle. The family moved to East Fremantle in the 1940’s and 50’s but then returned to Hope Street. John Dixon died in 1963.