Dixon, William Thomas
4366 Private William Thomas Dixon - 5th Battery 2nd Field Artillery Brigade
William Thomas Dixon was born in Beaconsfield Fremantle in 1893 to William and Jessie Dixon (nee Vagg). He was one of several siblings, with, George (1882), John (1884), Jessie (1886), Blanche (1889), Minnie (1891), Frederick (1896), Elizabeth (1899) and Frank (1902).
He grew up and was educated in Fremantle during which time he also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. During this time the family were living at 239 Hampton Road South Fremantle. (later renumbered 131 Hampton Rd).
After leaving school William took up employment locally as a butcher.
On the 6th March 1915 William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording William's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 4 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 146lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;
Complexion - Medium Dark;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark Brown;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoo - Indian face on left shoulder and both arms horse shoe and good luck.
Upon his successful enlistment Willim was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. For the first six weeks he was in the depot training company where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 24th April 1915 William was then transferred to the 5th Reinforcements to the 1st Australian Division Ammunition Column.
William only had two days with his new group as they received their departure orders on the 26th April 1915. William and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Hororata. The ship then set sail for Egypt and the men arrived there in May 1915.
After being disembarked William was sent to the reinforcement camp where he remained until the 20th July 1915. He was then taken on strength of the 1st Australian Division Ammunition Column. This unit supplied the artillery batteries with their ammunition. As the 1st Division Artillery was at Gallipoli, the 1ST DAC men including William had to ensure a regular supply of ammunition was sent to the battlefield. It appears William stayed in Egypt through 1915 as there is no mention in his service record of being sent to Gallipoli.
Once the artillery returned from Gallipoli after that battlefield was evacuated, the 1st DAC had closer contact with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Field Artillery Brigades.
On the 26th March 1916 William and the 1st Australian Division Ammunition Column left boarded a troopship and left Egypt bound for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 3rd April 1916. William and his group were then disembarked and sent to Armentieres in the north of France.
They would have their first experience of life on the Western Front in this sector. They remained here from April to June 1916 and were then sent to the Somme Battlefield. The 1st Australian Division artillery would support the infantry operations around Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, and William's unit were kept busy with supplying the artillery batteries with ammunition.
In August 1916 William got into trouble for being drunk while on duty and going absent without leave for a few hours. As a punishment he was given 7 days of Field Punishment No.2 and had to forfeit ten days pay.
In September 1916 the 1st Division oved to Belgium for six weeks but by November 1916 they were back on the Somme battlefield. William remained with the 1st DAC through the remainder of 1916.
On the 9th January 1917 William was transferred to the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade and was then posted to the 5th Battery. He then served with this new unit on the Somme battlefield for the next few months.
As a result of the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 the Artillery Batteries also went forward to provide fire support. The 2nd Field Artillery Brigade were providing artillery support for the operations to capture Boursies and Lagnicourt in April 1917.
On the 15th April 1917 the Germans launched a surprise attack on the Australian outpost line and got through and made their way to the 2nd Field Artillery Battery lines. The Germans got to the 4th Battery lines and were able to destroy a couple of guns but William's 5th Battery were able to withdraw their guns and then maintain fire support as the Germans were pushed back with heavy casualties.
In May 1917 William's 5th Battery continued to provide fire support at Bullecourt. William was then granted a two week leave period to the UK on the 23rd May 1917, returning to his unit in June.
In June 1917 they were transferred to Messines in Belgium providing support for the current offensive taking place and then from July 1917 to November 1917 they supported the infantry in the Third Battle of Ypres. Their guns were under observation from the Germans and suffered a great deal of hostile artillery fire though William came through unscathed.
From December 1917 to March 1918 they moved further south east of Ypres covering the area near Hollebeke to Messines. On the 6th March 1918 William was granted leave to England and spent a fortnight there before returning on the 22nd March 1918.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans had launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the British front line further south. As a result the Australian Divisions were sent south to help stop this German advance. The 1st Australian Division was the last to leave Belgium and had just reached Amiens by train when the Germans broke through from the front the Australians had just vacated. So the 1st Australian Division was returned north and with the help of British units, stopped the German advance around Nippe Forrest and Hazebrouck.
From April to July 1918 William's Artillery Battery provided fire support for the infantry in their operations around Merris, Meteren and Strazeele.
In August 1918 the 1st Australian Division were sent to Amiens to rejoin the other Australian Divisions. They were to take part in the advance on August 8th 1918. The advance was a huge success and from August to October 1918 the Australian artillery advanced forward to support their infantry.
William came through this period unscathed though it appears he switched between being a Driver and Gunner so would have performed different roles for his unit.
In late October 1918 William's unit was withdrawn from the front for a rest period and they were still out of the line when the Armistice was signed. When the Germans withdrew to their own borders the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.
On the 3rd January 1919, William was given a fortnight's leave to Paris. Shortly after returning he was sent to England on the 29th January 1919. He was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp in Weymouth where he would wait for a transport ship home.
On the 28th February 1919 William boarded the transport ship Anchises for the journey back to Australia. The ship bypassed Fremantle and the men had to disembark in Albany on the 7th April 1919. William and the men were then entrained north for Perth.
William was discharged from the AIF on the 10th June 1919.
He then returned to the family house in Hampton Road and resumed his career as a butcher.
In Fremantle in 1927 William married Lily Ida Blanche Grady and they had three children, Wilma in 1926, William in 1927 and Cecil in 1938.
In the 1930's they moved to 23 Lefroy Road South Fremantle and later in the 1940's moving to 35 Lefroy where they lived for the remainder of his life.
William Thomas Dixon died in South Fremantle on the 26th February 1973 aged 79. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.
(Photo courtesy of family ancestry page)