DIXON, Alfred Odessa
| Service Number: | 2587 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, 20 November 1892 |
| Home Town: | Williamstown (Vic), Hobsons Bay, Victoria |
| Schooling: | North Williamstown State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 26 August 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France Plot III, Row F, Grave No. 53. BELOVED BY ALL |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Williamstown Pictorial Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2587, 5th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2587, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Makarini embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 15 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2587, 5th Infantry Battalion, SS Makarini, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 2587, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2587 awm_unit: 5 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-08-26 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Alfred Odessa Dixon was the son of Henry Odessa Dixon and Jane Dixon, of North Williamstown, Victoria.
His younger brother, 325 Pte. Frederick Rennie Odessa Dixon 23rd Battalion AIF had been killed in action at Pozieres over two years before on 28 July 1916, aged 20.
Alfred was educated at the North Williamstown State School, and worked as a salesman for some six years with Mr. T. J. Watt, boot merchant from Williamstown.
Like his brother Fred, Alfred had been present at the Gallipoli evacuation and was reported to have met his brother there.
Alfred was wounded at Pozieres three days before his brother Fred was killed there. Alfred was evacuated to England with a shrapnel wound to his hand and rejoined the 5th Battalion during May 1917.
During October 1917 Alfred was made a Lance Corporal and was wounded again on 28 October 1917, shrapnel wounds to his head and hands.
He rejoined his battalion during March 1918 and was given two weeks leave to the UK.
He was mortally wounded on the 25 August 1918. From information in Red Cross wounded and missing file, Alfred was a Lance Corporal in charge of a Machine Gun Section of B Company of the 5th Battalion. After they had taken an objective in St Martins Wood near the St Quentin Road Alfred went up to the outpost in the front line to see his machine guns and a shell came over. He was the only one hit, in the left side. His mates carried him out of the trench still alive, but he died later that night in the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station from a chest wound.
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