Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arthur Denham DICKINSON was born in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England on 14.09.1867.

He served with the British Army in the Boer War in South Africa for 11 months.

He joined the AIF on 03.01.1916 and was allocated service number 4556.   He was appointed to the 11th reinforcements of the 27th Infantry Battalion.  The battalion embarked to England 25.03.1916.   There is no mention that he served on the Western Front but he appears to have been promoted to Corporal then Quartermaster Sergeant Major with the 7th Training Battalion in England.

He was discharged from the AIF on 06.12.1917 (medically unfit) and at some point, has been returned to Australia.

There is not a great deal of information on his AIF record including why he was discharged as medically unfit.   He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

RECORDER (Port Pirie) 01.04.1943

VETERAN OF TWO WARS   Arthur Dickinson Dies At 76

Mr. Arthur Denham Dickinson (76), who died in Pirie Hospital after having been there only two days, had been through two wars, and in his early life had seen much adventure. He was born in Lancashire, England, in 1867, and grew to young manhood there. He was 33 years, of age when he went to the Boer War with the British Army, and having passed through that campaign unscathed, he made for Australia. It is just over 40 years since he first arrived here, and he made his home in' Pirie. He worked first with Mr. D. Easson, painter, and later secured employment with the late Mr. Thomas Bowden in the timber mills.

Mr. Dickinson spent 25 years in the timber trade, continuing when the business became that of Thos. Bowden, and Son. He became foreman of the timber yard, and gained the reputation of a thoroughly dependable and efficient employee. He retired about 12 years ago, and had since lived, quietly in Federation road. He and Mrs. Dickinson were married in the little Tennyson Church 23 years ago by Rev. Edgar Miller. They took up residence alongside the church, and remained there ever since. Mrs. Dickinson always has been an ardent worker in the Tennyson cause, and her husband was a silent backer in many of the activities of the church. 

In the last war Mr. Dickinson joined the A.I.F. and went overseas as a member of the 27th Battalion. He saw two years' service as a quartermaster sergeant, and returned from his second war without a wound. He was a member of the Buffalo Lodge and Pirie branch of Old-age and Invalid Pensioners' Association; With Mrs. Dickinson there are one son and a daughter—Pte. Ray (on military duties) and Joan. Mr. W. F. Henderson, of Pirie Post Office staff, is a stepson. Mr. Dickinson has a brother and sister still living in England. 

Semi-Military Funeral 

The remains were accorded a semi military. burial in Pirie Cemetery on Friday afternoon, arranged by the local sub-branch of Returned Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen's League. Members of the executive attended, and the coffin was borne to the grave covered with the Union Jack.

When it had been lowered Mr. E. E. Cooper sounded "Last Post" and "Reveille." The burial service was conducted by Rev. A. E. Vogt, who had returned from the Methodist Conference in Adelaide for the purpose.

The pallbearers were Messrs. E. L. Mitchell, W. J. Odgers, J. Milne, and R. J. Bowden. Mr. Odgers recited the soldiers' pledge of remembrance. Wreaths and other floral tributes were sent by the following:— Wife, Joan, and Ray, Edie and Will and family, Lucy, George, Phyl, and Cec, Madge and Howard, Lorna and Frank; Mr. and Mrs. H. Fisher and Shirley, Merlin,, and Jack, Mr. and. Mrs. Raggatt and family, Mr. and Mrs.' PayMch,.Gran, and family, Mrs. Ryan and Roma, Mr. and Mrs, J. B. Currie, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves and family, Clarrie and Agnes Poole (Hawker), Mr. and Mrs. C. Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Barrett, Valda azid .Ina, and Mrs. Nankivell and son, Mr. and |j Mrs. J.- Cormack and. Jim, Mr. A. K. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Mitchell, Thos. a j Bowden & Son, Mrs. Polmear and Ruth, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Anderson and family, -Mrs. Butler and Madge, Mrs. L. A. Me- 1 Donald, sen., Sadie and Bill Jones, Mr. and Mrs. J. Milne and . Nell ar.2 Max, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. McBtanaH, and family.

Employees of Prests Limited, Teayson Christian Endeavor, Pirie Sub-branch, R.S.S; and A.I.L.A., organisations of Tennyson Methodist Church, Pirie Post Office staff.