Francis Wilfred Holt Dyson

Alias John Henry Dyson
Born 1881, baptised 25.04.1881 at Halifax, UK
Place Riga, Latvia
Ethnic origin British
Religion Church of England
Father William Dyson, cotton mill manager
Mother Emma (nee Holt) Dyson, died when he was born in Russia
Family

Wife Eleanor Smith, by 1914 widower, daughter Emma Winifred Elen Dyson (1905-1935)
Residence before arrival at Australia Lived in England with his uncle Walter Rowley and aunt; studied at St Edwards School, Oxford; experience in mining in South Africa; served with Cape Town mounted police 2 ½ years
Residence before enlistment Alder Hill, Konagaderrer PO, via Craigieburn, Vic
Occupation Farmer
Naturalisation Natural born British subject

Service #1

Service number 1373
Enlisted 21.08.1914
Place of enlistment Albert Park, Victoria
Unit 2nd FAB, 52nd Battery, 5th DAC
Rank Gunner, Corporal, Temporary Sergeant
Place Gallipoli, 1915; Western Front, 1916-1918
Final fate KIA 24.04.1918
Cemetery 210 Bonnay Communal Cemetery Extension, France

Materials

Blog article

Russian

English

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

The very first contingent [...] -- this First Fleet of the new Australian nationhood -- left Australian waters in early November 1914 with at least 12 Russians: the Finns Baer and Hiltunen, the ethnic Russians Arn, Kamishansky, Sast and Sindeeff, the Polish-born Markowicz and Watson, the Jews Zander and Levene, and the Russian-born Englishmen Ball and Dyson.

[...] farmer [...] Francis Wilfred Holt Dyson was from Riga, [...] [he] went to England after his mother's death, to live with his aunt's family, and subsequently served with the Cape mounted police in South Africa.

[...] Sergeant Francis Dyson, an Englishman born in Russia, was killed while 'out with convoy proceeding to the Batteries with ammunition when a shell exploded 10 yard away, a portion of it striking Dyson near heart'. A widower, he left a young daughter orphaned.

Gallery

AWM memorial panel 21

Map