Telegraphist REGINALD GEORGE DICKENSON D/JX 404448, H.M.C.S

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Telegraphist REGINALD GEORGE DICKENSON D/JX 404448, H.M.C.S. Valleyfield, Royal Navy who died on 7 May 1944 Remembered with honour on the PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL Able Seaman/Telegraphist Reginald George Dickenson died fighting with the Royal Canadian Navy during the later part of the Battle of the Atlantic. Born, 18 March 1923, he was the son of Oscar1 and Elsie Dickenson of Barton Street.2 We are indebted to Reg’s sister, Mrs E.M. Lane, for supplying these photographs which give an insight into the life behind the war hero. In 1935, aged about 12 Reg. at the Sandy aged 12, whilst a pupil at the Grammar School. (from l-r, N. Warren, A. Surman, Reg, & Warren. Reg was another local boy who went to train with On leave. Reg had fair hair and blue eyes Sainsbury’s in London – here during a maternal visit. 1 Register, 16.06.1917 p5/2: War News: Pte Oscar Dickenson (London Regiment T. A.) of Smiths Lane was a P.O.W. at Dulmer, Wesphalia in Germany. 2 In 2005, their home is the Tewkesbury Trophies Shop. Reg married Irene Eleanor Goldsmith HMCS Valleyfield sunk 7 May 1944. of 25 High Street on 12 June 19433 HCMS Valleyfield was a River class Frigate which was commissioned on 7 December 1943. It met its end when it was torpedoed and sunk by U-548 on 7 May 1944 some 50 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland. 125 of her crew including her commanding officer – and Reg. - went down with the ship. Reg. is commemorated as “R. Dickson”. HMCS Valleyfield Funeral of crew members; as Reg’s death is commemorated at the Plymouth Naval Memorial, his body may not have been found. 3 Register, 19/06/1943. .

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Action Tions
ACTION TIONS CANADA'S NAVAL MEMORIAL· HMOS SACKVILLE NEWSLETTER - NOVEMDERIDEGEMBER 2004 Chair's Update By the time you receive this edition ofAction Stations the Christmas season will be upon us. May I take this opportunity to wish you and yours a~l the best for the Holiday Season and New Year: may you all be happy and healthy and enjoy both your naval and own families. Remembrance Day in Halifax saw record numbers of young people attend the ceremonies. This is good. Veterans truly felt that remembrance had taken on a revival. The Canadian Youth Remembrance Society was inaugurated at Government House in Halifax. This new society was formed after three years of hard work by Patrick Milner of the Pier 21 Society. The society has offered to help us advertise our Provincial Essay Competition which is under tbe chainnanship and hard work of Gary Thain. At our CNMT semi annual meeting in November we covered some 25 items. My thanks goes out to all Board members for their fine efforts on your behalf. We had a pretty good year despite the considerable drop in tourism. In fact the great sales in the gift shop did wonders for our bottom line. Well done to gift shop manager Don Mackey for his supervision and to our treasurer Judy Tamsett for a very clear report. Board members have proposed a number of very good ideas to attract more tourists next season. We did cut our downtown stay short this year to enable the Dockyard to fit a new forward hatch. Many thanks to the Navy for their continued fine support.
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River-Class Frigates Background
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1 ' F ' FAFARD, Charles Omar, Signalman (V-4147)
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Title/Rank Name Nationality Age Date of Death Circumstances Page
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British Empire Medal (BEM) - RCNVR - Awarded As Per Canada Gazette of 5 January 1946 and London Gazette of 1 January 1946
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RCN - Awarded As Per Canada Gazette 20 January 1945 and London Gazette of 3 October 1944
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