Richard John DYER DSO, Legion d'Honneur

Badge Number: S68972, Sub Branch: Walkerville
S68972

DYER, Richard John

Service Number: Second Lieutenant
Enlisted: 26 August 1914
Last Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit: Divisional Engineers Headquarters
Born: St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia, 8 December 1893
Home Town: North Sydney, North Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: North Sydney Church of England Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Engineer
Died: Natural causes, Medindie, South Australia, Australia, 19 July 1961, aged 67 years
Cemetery: West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section)
Section: KO, Road: 9A, Site No: 43
Memorials: Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour, Shore Northbridge Sydney Church of England Grammar School 1914-1918 War Memorial Playing Fields Pillars
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World War 1 Service

26 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, 1st Field Company Engineers
18 Oct 1914: Involvement 1st Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: ''
18 Oct 1914: Embarked 1st Field Company Engineers, HMAT Afric, Sydney
1 Feb 1915: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Company Engineers
26 Jul 1915: Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Field Company Engineers
28 Jan 1916: Honoured Mention in Dispatches
5 Mar 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 1st Field Company Engineers
1 Jan 1917: Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Battle for Pozières , For splendid service and exceptional courage, ability and devotion to duty during operations at Pozieres in July and August 1916 when he very ably directed the work of his Company under very heavy shell fire in difficult conditions.
4 Jan 1917: Honoured Mention in Dispatches
5 Apr 1918: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Divisional Engineers Headquarters
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Field Company Engineers
31 Dec 1918: Honoured Mention in Dispatches
8 May 1919: Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Divisional Engineers Headquarters, HMAT Devanha, Devonport for return to Australia - disembarking Sydney 26 June 1919.
10 Jul 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Divisional Engineers Headquarters
11 Jul 1919: Honoured Mention in Dispatches

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Fred H DYER of 'Whalla' 320 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW.

Previously to being honoured with the D.S.O. he was awarded the Legion of Honour by the President of the French Republic.  He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Dyer, of Myalla, Miller Street, North Sydney and was educated at the Church of England Grammar Schoo, North Sydney, and then entered the employ of Mort's Dock, Limited.  Even while at school he took a keen interest in the cadet movement, and subsequently joined the Senior Cadets.  Being in the engineering profession, he eventually joined the Australian Engieers, under Colonial Spain, V.D., and on the outbrak of war left for the front as a second lieutenant with the 1st Field Company of Engineers.  He soon made his way upward, and received promotion to the rank of major last year on his 22nd birthday.  In December, 1915, he was mentioned in depatches by Sir Ian Hamilton for his work in Gallipoli, and in February of the following year was decorated with the Legion of Honour for the fine work on the peninsula.

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