Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leading Aircraftman Robert Rubin Dickinson (Service No:81347) enlisted in the RAAF at No 4 Recruiting Centre Perth on 18 July 1942 as an Aircraftman I - mustered as Guard. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman on 30 March 1943, LAC Dickinson was attached to 4 Com Depot and 25 Sqaudron before posting to HQ Pearce in January 1945. LAC Dickinson was Discharged on 9 January 1946.

Born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1898, Bob was tenth of fourteen children (10 survived infancy) of Robert Whitlaw Dickinson (b1865 in Lauriston, Victoria) and Mary Ann Collins (b1865 in Melbourne, Victoria). Robert (a Labourer) and Mary married in 1885 in Melbourne, Victoria where they lived until 1899 when they moved their family to Denmmark, WA. Robert and Mary settled in Denmark, where they raised their family and Robert worked as a Night Watchman and Labourer. In 1910 they moved to Albany, and Robert left Mary and moved to Mornington Mills via Wokalup where he was a Mill Worker. From 1914 onwards, Robert's whereabouts were unknown to any of his family - he had moved to Perth where he worked as a General Hand. Mary lived in Albany with her children - eight of whom were under fourteen years of age when Robert left the family. Mary drowned in 1929.

Bob worked in Albany as a Contractor, Labourer and Storeman, and served with the Militia from 1916 to 1920. In 1927 he married Helen May Hicks (b1895 in Onslow, WA) - Helen was working in Albany as Hotel Assistant. Bob and Helen settled in Albany, where Bob was Publican/Licensee of the Albany Hotel before moving to Perth in 1940. Bob worked in Perth as a Publican (Travellers' Arms in Bedfordale and Ascot Inn in Belmont) before enlisting in the RAAF. Following his Discharge, Bob and Helen remained in Perth - where Bob worked as a Cellarman and Barman - before returing to Albany in the early 1950s. Bob worked as a Caterer and Barman, and both he and Helen died in 1966.