De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol 2 page 101
George Dixon, M.I. Min. E. was born on the 29th December 1881, at Snabdough, near Bellingham, Northumberland. He was the only surviving son of James Gibson Dixon, of Mantle Hill, Bellingham, Land Agent, late Captain of the Northumberland Volunteers, by his wife, Anne, youngest daughter of John Newton of Chollerton, Northumberland.
George was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the Newcastle and Durham Mining College. He served his apprenticeship as a Mining Engineer with a Mr C. C. Leach at Seghill Colliery. He was later appointed Manager of the High Park and Watnall Collieries under Messrs' Walker, Barber and Co. Eastwood, Nottingham.
On the outbreak of war, he volunteered for foreign service, and enlisted into the Coldstream Guards. Sent to France in February in 1915, he was given a commission by the Royal Engineers on the 21st April 1915.
170th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers, Home Base prior to enlistment: Newthorpe, North Yorkshire.
He was selected for Special Services, on the completion of which his General, recommending him, said:- "This officer has been constantly at work since joining the unit. He has been subjected to very severe nervous strain."
The 170th TC was operating in the Cuinchy sector at the time of 2nd Lt. Dixon’s death.
He was probably the '2nd Lt. Dixon' who, in July 1915, inspected the bottom of Fosse 8 Shaft of the Bethune group of collieries to ascertain if it and the underground workings from its base were accessible to the enemy.
He was killed in action at Cuinchy on Friday 6th August 1915, by the explosion of a mine.
His Captain wrote:- "We all miss his bright cheery face very much. No matter how hard the work to be done was he never complained, but always went straight on with it. He was very capable and was much loved by his men."
And the Chaplain:- "I learnt to revere him as a quiet, deep thinking, resolute and religious man."
His own Chief in Civil Life also wrote:- "George Dixon has done his duty nobly and well, and of his own free will took up the roughest and hardest end of the work. He was one of the most unselfish men I have known, always ready to help others and do them a good turn."
He was a good all round sportsman, an enthusiastic footballer; also fond of cricket and tennis, and very keen on trout fishing. He was also a member of the Nottingham County Rugby Team, and of the Nottingham County Cricket Club, and captain of the Lamb Close Cricket Club, Eastwood.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
Reg Hornsby supplied additional notes.
Morpeth Herald 20/08/1915 carries a brief obituary:
The death is announced of Second Lieut. George Dixon, of Hexham. He was a colliery manager at Nottingham, and prior to obtaining that situation was trained by Mr Weeks, of Bedlington.
George Dixon is remembered in Greystead G21.01 at Jesmond J1.04 and J1.19 page 17, and at Newcastle on NUT009 and NUT063
