DICKENSON, Charles James. PM. WW1. Croix De Guerre and Meritorious Service Medal
Died 13/11/1954 Age 69. Driver, French Red Cross. Later Liaison Officer, Royal Flying Corps. Uncle of Gordon Leonard Dickenson.
Charles James Dickenson was born 06 Jun1885, in Derby, to Charles James Dickenson and his wife Matilda Lipscomb and was their eldest son.
Charles grew up in Derby with his siblings, Charlotte Emily (1882-1957), Elizabeth (1886-1957), Dora (1888-1977), John Stewart (1890-1891), Gilbert (1891-1959), Joseph Leonard (1893-1977) and Frances Matilda (1894-1987). His father was a grocer at 1 Surrey St, Derby.
In 1911 at the age of 26, Charles was employed as a Surveyors Clerk in the Borough Office (Derby). In 1912, he joined the Chile-Bolivian Railway as a Corresponding Clerk.
At the start of the 1914-1918 War, Charles enlisted as a driver with the French Red Cross. He acted as an interpreter and dispatch rider with the Portuguese Army, attached to the French Army. In 1917 he was awarded the Croix De Guerre Medal for rescuing wounded soldiers whilst under bombardment, during an enemy attack.
By 1918, Charles had returned to England and joined the Royal Air Force as a Liaison Officer. He was later awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
After the War, Charles returned to Derby, where he was an Electrical Merchant with premises on Monk Street. He was also at one point Chairman of the Beaconsfied Club, Derby.
Charles died on 13 Nov 1954 at the home of his sister at 64 Gerard Street, Derby and is buried in Nottingham Road Cemetery, Derby, Plot A2-79F. Charles did not marry.
His brother Gilbert (1891-1951), a Gunner with the R.F.A. in Mesopotamia during the 1914-1918 war, later became Secretary and subsequently Chairman of Derby County Football Club and had previously been a Captain of Derby Rowing Club. Gilbert was a well-known Chartered Accountant in Derby.
In the 1914-1918 war Charles’ brother Joseph Leonard, a Corporal with the Royal Irish Rifles, was injured and subsequently discharged from the Army.
Joseph Leonard was the father of Gordon Leonard Dickenson who is also on this Roll of Honour.
