The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1123) Private John Russell Dickson, Australian Army Veterinary Corps, AIF, First World War.

Places
Accession Number AWM2016.2.159
Collection type Film
Object type Last Post film
Physical description 16:9
Maker Australian War Memorial
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Campbell
Date made 7 June 2016
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (1123) Private John Russell Dickson, Australian Army Veterinary Corps, AIF, First World War.

Film order form
Speech transcript

1123 Private John Russell Dickson, Australian Army Veterinary Corps, AIF
DOD 15 October 1918
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 7 June 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private John Russell Dickson.

John Dickson was born in 1896 in Warrnambool, Victoria, to James and Mary Dickson. He received his early education at the Warrnambool Academy, where he proved to be a diligent and thoughtful student. He went on to study at the Camperdown Grammar School, and stayed in Melbourne working as a clerk.

Dickson tried to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914, but was turned down because of a problem with his heart. Instead, he was accepted for home service and continued in that capacity for some years. He continued to try to enlist for active service overseas, and was finally accepted in May 1917.

Private Dickson was posted to the Veterinary Corps and underwent a period of training in Australia before embarking for service overseas in August 1917. After arriving in the United Kingdom he spent some time in hospital with the mumps before being sent to France. Dickson was first posted to the Australian base veterinary hospital, serving for several months there until May 1918 when he joined the newly created 1st Australian Veterinary Evacuation Station.

In June the station was still struggling to get organised, and essential equipment and camp supplies were difficult to come across. Dickson was a member of a limited staff which was constantly depleted by men being sent to the base veterinary hospital. Nevertheless, the station was able to send between 70 and 100 sick or wounded horses and mules to England daily for further treatment and rest.

In September 1918 Private Dickson was detached for duty with 4th Australian Division Headquarters. About a month later he was admitted to hospital with the flu. His condition quickly deteriorated, and he died of broncho-pneumonia on 15 October 1918. He had sent a cable to his father just five days earlier to say he was fit and well.

He was buried in the Dury Hospital Military Cemetery in Amiens. After the war the graves were re-interred at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, where Private Dickson’s remains lie today. He was 22 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private John Russell Dickson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section

  • Video of The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1123) Private John Russell Dickson, Australian Army Veterinary Corps, AIF, First World War. (video)