Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James Alfred Dick, born at Timaru on 9 January 1885 (registered as Andrew James Dick), was the third son of John Reid Dick, a wharf labourer, and Catherine (Kate) née Gallen, of Timaru. He was baptised (James Alfred Dick) soon after, on 25 January 1885, in the Roman Catholic Parish of Timaru. His mother died at her Timaru residence on 22 April 1887 when James was just two years old, and not long after the death of his younger brother Robert. The following year his father married Mary Agnes O’Donnell, who became the mother he knew and who was named as his next-of-kin. James’ half-brother Francis died in 1898 at the age of nine and a half-sister Ethel in 1896 at the age of 18 months. Young James may have been educated at the Timaru Marist Brothers School and/or the Sacred Heart Boys’ School. In June 1911, both James and his brother Joseph subscribed to the Home Rule Fund. James Alfred Dick’s only known residence, both before and after the war, was at home in Timaru with his father and stepmother, employed as a labourer.

Medically examined at Timaru on 12 October 1915, he stood at just 5 feet 3 inches, weighed 135 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32-34½ inches, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all good, his teeth fairly good, his limbs and chest well formed, and his heart and lungs normal. He had had no illnesses or fits, was free from diseases, was vaccinated and was in good bodily and mental health. He did have two scars on the left side of his abdomen, 2½ inches by 1½ inches. James was one of a large group who received a very enthusiastic farewell when they assembled in the drill shed for afternoon tea on 13 October. The Ven. Archdeacon Jacob said that they were going to answer the call of duty and to help the brave boys who had gone before them and who were doing such splendid work. They were going to fight for King and country, to fight in the cause of right. They marched to the railway station, with the 2nd South Canterbury Regimental Band playing some soul-stirring patriotic airs. “Brave lads,” said the Mayor in a voice broken with emotion, “. . . . . We are proud of you for the gallant way you have come forward to assist the Empire in its time of need, .. . . . You are going forward to fight . . . for truth, liberty and justice. . . .”. So it was that he enlisted at Trentham on 13 or 14 October 1915 and was posted to the 4th Battalion, NZ Rifle Brigade. A labourer, single and Roman Catholic, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs M. A. Dick, Queen Street, Timaru. Rifleman James A. Dick embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4th Battalion, departing from Wellington per the “Mokoia” on 5 February 1916 and disembarking at Suez, Egypt on 15 March. He then embarked at Alexandria for France on 7 April 1916.

Wounded in Action on 13 August 1917 in the Field, suffering a gunshot wound to his left leg, James Dick was admitted to firstly No. 3 New Zealand Field Ambulance then to No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station the next day. He was admitted to the 53rd General Hospital at Boulogne on 15 August before being transferred to England per the Hospital Ship “St David” on 22 August. All the while his bleeding wound was cleaned and dressed. There in England he was admitted to No. 2 New Zealand General Hospital at Walton on Thames, with a slight gunshot (shrapnel) wound to his left leg. Four days later he was transferred from Walton to Brockenhurst where his wound was sutured. On 11 September 1917 he was reported as improving, though he experienced stiffness after walking. Three weeks later, his wounds soundly healed, he was transferred to the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch. He was attached to Strength at the New Zealand Command Depot at Codford on 2 December 1917 and discharged on leave from 2 December to 19 December. At Codford on 10 February 1918, James A. Dick was transferred to the NZ Rifle Brigade Reserve Depot at Brocton on 6 March 1918.

Having proceeded overseas on 24 August 1918 and marched into camp at Etaples on 27 August, he joined No. 3 Entrenching Battalion on 29 August and was transferred to the 4th Rifle Brigade the next day. But, on 26 October 1918 he was wounded, this time accidentally – a bayonet wound to his left leg. He was admitted to No. 3 New Zealand Field Ambulance the next day (a small wound in left thigh) then transferred to No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted to No. 3 Stationary Hospital at Rouen on 29 October. Transferred to the UK on 30 October, he was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley on 1 November (bayonet wound to left leg). The wound was superficial (4 November 1918). Transfer to a New Zealand Hospital was recommended (Military Convalescent). He was duly transferred to Hornchurch on 8 November. While there was pain on extension at 16 November, there was full movement of the knee and hip by 21 November. The disability was now muscular. On 21 November 1918 James was granted leave.

J. A. Dick, 26/1089, of Timaru, embarked at Liverpool on 3 December 1918 for the return to New Zealand per the “Tahiti” (Draft 204), which arrived in New Zealand on 12 January 1919. A Medical Board had been assembled on the Transport “Tahiti” on 23 December 1918, to examine and report on the present state of health of Rifleman J. A. Dick. His original disability was two-fold – a gunshot wound to his left leg and a bayonet wound to his left thigh, caused by shell and shrapnel. No disability resulted from the bayonet wound. His leg was enlarged but there was no loss of movement. No further improvement was likely. He was not fit for Active Service or Territorial Service, his disability likely to be permanent. He was, however, fit for Civil Employment. His capacity for earning a full livelihood was lessened by one quarter, and his scale of pension should be reviewed in six months. When to Provisional Medical Board had been assembled on board the Troopship “Tahiti”, discharge had been recommended. Rifleman James Alfred Dick was discharged on 9 February 1919, in consequence of being no longer physically fit for War Service on account of wounds received in Action. He had served overseas in Egypt and Western Europe for well over two years and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

James Alfred Dick, a labourer, residing at Queen Street, Timaru, was a witness to a fatal accident which occurred during shunting operations in the Timaru railway yards on 17 July 1924. He called to the engine driver to stop, also putting up both hands, and the engine was immediately brought to a standstill. By the time the engine was pulled up deceased who was caught under the wheels was near the cow-catcher. Witness (J. A. Dick) then ran ahead and sang out to the signal man and told him to ring for a doctor.

James Alfred Dick died at Sunnyside Hospital, Christchurch on 28 June 1936, aged 51 years. His death was caused by acute lobar pneumonia accompanied by meningitis. Following a Requiem Mass at the Timaru Catholic Church he was buried in the Soldiers’ section of Timaru Cemetery, where a Great War Veteran stone marks his grave. He predeceased his father, who was his next-of-kin at death, and his stepmother. Susan Grant recounts that James “...died of pneumonia determined after a coroners inquest into his death in Sunnyside hospital. I believe he suffered from lung disease from the war.” His immediately older brother, Joseph Andrew Dick, who also served in World War One, died of wounds in Belgium on 17 December 1917 when James was serving. A half-brother, Hugh Aloysius Hilary Dick (known as Hilary), was called up when he turned twenty in 1917 and enlisted but saw no overseas service. His eldest brother, William John Dick, was listed on the World War One Reserve Rolls, an engine driver at Fairlie. His cousin William Wade who served with the Australian Forces, was killed in action in 1917. And cousins, John James Gallen and William James Gallen, also served in World War One. Two nephews of James – Dick Bernard Sinclair (son of Ellen Elizabeth Dick) and Sherlock George Sauer (son of Mary Jane Dick) – served in World War Two. John Reid Dick died later in 1936 – 25 December 1936 at his Timaru residence. Mary Agnes Reid died on 10 October 1939. John was survived by the three eldest of his six children of his first marriage; and by three of his five children of his second marriage, none of whom married.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [11 December 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5537 0033730) [15 March 2015]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [July 2013]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [11 December 2013]; Timaru Herald, 30 March 1887, 23 April 1887, 2 July 1898, 7 June 1911, 14 October 1915, 1 & 6 September 1917, 8 January 1919, 28 July 1924, 30 June 1936, 26 & 28 December 1936, 11 October 1939, New Zealand Times, 31 August 1917, 29 November 1918, 6 January 1919, Press, 31 August 1917, Lyttelton Times, 31 August 1917, 6 January 1919, Otago Daily Times, 31 August 1917, Sun, 31 August 1917, 15 November 1918, 2 December 1918, 6 January 1919, Otago Witness, 5 September 1917, Dominion, 12 November 1918, 6 January 1919, Evening Post, 12 & 29 November 1918 (Papers Past) [05 October 2014; 25 April 2015; 13 February 2016; 05 July 2017; 16 & 17 September 2017; 02 October 2020; 19 May 2026]; SCRoll web submission from S Grant, 28 June 2015; Timaru Herald, 30 June 1936 (Timaru District Library) [13 June 2016]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [2013; 15 September 2017]; Roman Catholic Baptisms Timaru (Christchurch Diocese CD held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [12 March 2017]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS