Edward Dimmock was killed in action on this day in 1915
Born in Greenwich 8 October 1877, Edward's parents were Jonathan (a general labourer) and Sophie (née Mann).
Edward, the youngest of 4 children, lived in Greenwich at 8 Wood Wharf, with his parents and parental grandmother. In 1891, now age 14, Edward was working as a general labourer.
He was educated in Greenwich. After school he became a stevedore, unloading and loading boats at the dock.
Edward joined the West Kent Militia in 1893 and served for 18 months in Malta.
In May 1902, he married Sarah (née Wood). They had no children. The following year, in May 1903, he obtained his discharge.
Dimmock re-enlisted joining the Queen’s Own (Royal West Regiment) on 15 September 1914. By 7 December, he was in France. His war was to be a short one, as his battalion was one of those that took part in an expensive attack on Hill 60 in April 1915.
The battalion's war diary (WO 95/1553) gives a lot of detail about the attack on Hill 60 which took place on the evening of 17 April 1915, it also provides three excellent sketches of the dispositions and trenches around Hill 60.
Whilst we must assume he was involved in the attack on 17 April, he is officially deemed to have been killed on 18 April 1915, which is the date recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (below). Edward was 38 years of age.
Edward has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
848 Pte. Edward Dimmock, The Queen’s Own (Royal West Regiment)