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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: candleflame on Tuesday 13 February 18 16:38 GMT (UK)

Title: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: candleflame on Tuesday 13 February 18 16:38 GMT (UK)

Hi all
I have found online a record shown as part of a war memorial project about a William Dixon b 1885.
It says the following :-

"9th November 1914 he joined the Gateshead Reserve Company as a driver, number T/951. When he enlisted they lived at Wakes Yard, Wrekenton. He became number T4/250211 in the Royal Army Service Corps, 664th Company.    He was posted on 1st September 1916 and went to Salonika on 3rd January 1917.  He was demobbed at Woolwich on 5th April 1919, described as sick and wounded. "

It then goes on to say he died in 1920 and his wife had to bring up the children on a pension. This suggests that the creator of this record has seen some sort of service or pension record.
I've tried to find the service records or pension info of him on the two big genealogy sites but can't locate him. Can anyone else who has some time to spare have a look to see if they can find these details please, as I'd like to confirm their findings. I am aware not all records still exist, but this online record suggests there is one somewhere as its so specific .
Many Thanks.

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: MaxD on Tuesday 13 February 18 17:39 GMT (UK)

The info may well have been held by his family.  In the absence of his full record:
His medal roll confirms his second service number (as the first was a reserve unit apparently it wouldn't appear on a medal card).
His Silver War Badge record confirms his enlistment date as 19 Nov 1914 and discharge sick on 5 April 1919, Woolwich did have the ASC record office which would have processed his discharge.
The 664 Company ASC was a UK company so he didn't go overseas with them  - but it doesn't say that.
At that time it was still the ASC, Royal came in 1918 so I'd describe it as "in the ASC, later RASC"
His SWB badge would have netted him a pension.

All sounds fair although no way of confirming Salonika without his record and hence unit.

MaxD

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: candleflame on Tuesday 13 February 18 17:53 GMT (UK)

Thanks very much for this MaxD. Very helpful as ever.

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: jim1 on Tuesday 13 February 18 18:24 GMT (UK)

Same info. as MaxD. Some of the extra info. may have come from an obit.
Try searching for local newspapers.

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: candleflame on Thursday 15 February 18 22:58 GMT (UK)

Thanks Jim

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: newburychap on Wednesday 21 February 18 23:55 GMT (UK)

Have you contacted the people who put the information online?

Title: Re: William Dixon- trying to prove this account of war record
Post by: candleflame on Thursday 22 February 18 18:24 GMT (UK)

Hi. It was simply a pdf of a word document online so there were no specific contact details . I haven’t tried the wider war memorial project as I was thinking perhaps there was a record that could be viewed that I simply wasn’t finding   so in a sense I was quite relieved I wasn’t missing something really obvious!