Arras Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John James Dickeson was born 1877 in Cox Green, County Durham, one of 5 children, 2 boys and 3 girls, born to Richard Dickeson 1855 Cox Green, County Durham and his wife Margery Mason 1851 Bellingham, Northumberland. His mother Margery was the daughter of John Mason the owner of Copperas Works near the river Wear. After her marriage to Richard Dickeson, December 1873 in Houghton-le-Spring, her father schooled Richard in the manufacturing of copperas from the brasses picked out of the coal at the collieries. His parents were living at Copperas House, Cox Green, Washington Station, County Durham for about 30 years and his father worked as a copperas manufacturer until the closure of the works between 1881 and 1891 reverting to a roadman by 1891. At the age of 24, John James was working as a gamekeeper, an occupation he continued even after his marriage to Elizabeth Ann born 1879 in the parish of Silksworth. The census of 1911 indicates they had 3 children, all of whom survived, but it only lists 2 living with them at Black Dene Cottages, Plawsworth, Herbert born 1904 and Harry born 1905. Between 1911 and the outbreak of the Great War the family moved to Langley Moor Farm, Annfield Plain, County Durham.
John James Dickeson enlisted in Consett in 1914 and was first assigned as Private 8559 to the Durham Light Infantry later reassigned as Private 200866 1st/5th Battalion D. L. I. He underwent training at home and entered the theatre of war after January 1916 just as the preparations were in place for the Battles of the Somme. The 5th Battalion as part of the 150th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette 15-22 September and the Battle of Morval 25-28 September 1916 and at the Battles of Arras from April 9th until May 16th 1917.
Private 200866 John James Dickeson was killed in action April 23rd 1917 aged 40 years. His sacrifice is recorded on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, Bay 8. The memorial commemorates the 34,794 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the spring of 1917 until August 1918 and have no known grave.
His widow Elizabeth Ann received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
John James’s brother Norman Dickeson also served in the Great War. Norman Dickeson was born 1896 in Cox Green and enlisted firstly assigned as Private 31229, 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment and later transferred as Private 165072 Machine Gun Corps assigned to the 100th Battalion, 33rd Division as of January 1916. He saw action in the Battles of the Somme, in 1917 in the Arras Offensive, the actions on the Hindenburg Line, operations on the Flanders coast and the Third Battle of Ypres. Private 165072 Norman Dickeson was killed in action October 4th 1918, his body buried on the battlefield north of Gouy. After Armistice his body was exhumed and reburied in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy, Aisne, France, grave II. C. 18. All monies owed to him were assigned to his father Richard along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Both brothers are also recorded on memorials at All Saints Church, Penshaw, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John James Dickeson (Dickinson) is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04 at South Moor on S129.02 and at Penshaw P29.01
