Edward Thompson Dickson
Encyclopedia
Major-General Edward Thompson Dickson (16 July 1850 – 23 August 1938) was a British Army
general officer, who commanded two Territorial Force
divisions before the First World War.
He was born in St. Helier, Jersey
, the son of Major-General E. J. Dickson and his wife Louisa Maria Dickson. After studying at Cheltenham College
and the Royal Military College Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the 49th Regiment of Foot in 1869. He married Helene Frances Harvey, eldest daughter of Colonel W. F. Harvey, in 1878, and they had one daughter.Who Was Who
In the Suakin Expedition
of 1885 he saw action at the Battles of Suakin, Hasheen, Tofrek, and Ginnis, and was appointed brigade-major in the Sudan Field Force. He was later appointed to command the 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
from 1891 to 1895, and the 49th Regimental District from 1897 to 1902. In 1902 he was appointed to the staff in Barbados, and in 1905 promoted to the post of General Officer Commanding the forces in West Africa. In 1906 he returned to England as the Major-General responsible for administration in Eastern Command, a post he held until 1908. That year, he was appointed the first General Officer Commanding of the newly formed West Lancashire Division in the Territorial Force
, and in 1909 took command of the Home Counties Division. He remained in command of the division until 1912, when he retired to Tunbridge Wells.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
general officer, who commanded two Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
divisions before the First World War.
He was born in St. Helier, Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, the son of Major-General E. J. Dickson and his wife Louisa Maria Dickson. After studying at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
and the Royal Military College Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the 49th Regiment of Foot in 1869. He married Helene Frances Harvey, eldest daughter of Colonel W. F. Harvey, in 1878, and they had one daughter.Who Was Who
In the Suakin Expedition
Suakin Expedition
The Suakin Expedition refers to two military expeditions led by Major-General Sir Gerald Graham V.C. to Suakin in Sudan with the intention of destroying the power of Osman Digna, the first in February 1884 and the second in March 1885.-The first expedition:...
of 1885 he saw action at the Battles of Suakin, Hasheen, Tofrek, and Ginnis, and was appointed brigade-major in the Sudan Field Force. He was later appointed to command the 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
Royal Berkshire Regiment
The Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
from 1891 to 1895, and the 49th Regimental District from 1897 to 1902. In 1902 he was appointed to the staff in Barbados, and in 1905 promoted to the post of General Officer Commanding the forces in West Africa. In 1906 he returned to England as the Major-General responsible for administration in Eastern Command, a post he held until 1908. That year, he was appointed the first General Officer Commanding of the newly formed West Lancashire Division in the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, and in 1909 took command of the Home Counties Division. He remained in command of the division until 1912, when he retired to Tunbridge Wells.