| Regimental number | 4183 |
| Place of birth | Buckland Newton, Dorset, England |
| School | Buckland Newton School, Dorset, England |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 29 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Coachbuilder |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 32 |
| Height | 5' 8.5" |
| Weight | 136 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Annie Dibben, Shorn Hill Green Farm, Buckland Newton, Dorset, England |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Warwick Farm, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 1st Battalion, 13th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/18/4 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 54th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Arrived 1912 from New Zealand. |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (Plot I, Row F, Grave No 7), France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 158 |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Allotted to and proceeded to 54th Bn, Zeitoun, 16 February 1916; joined 54th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Reported missing, 19/20 July 1916. German report, 2 August 1916 and confirmed, 13 October 1919, 'austr. Sold. Dibben, H.E. Nr.4183. 54. Batt. C.E. am 19.7.16. in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.' Identification disc received from Germany. No particulars were afforded except that soldier is deceased. To be reported as killed in action, 19/20 July 1916, on the authority of the Assistant Adjutant General, ANZAC Section, War Office, 13 March 1917. Red Cross File No 920103 has statement from 3497 Pte T. CLEARY, D Company, 54th Bn (patient, 14th General Hospital, Boulogne), 16 September 1916: 'On July 19th, we took two German trenches and six of us got into a gully 100 yards beyond the second trench. There Dibben was shot through the chest. I dressed his wound, but he was drilled right through, and I couldn't do much for him. We had to get back to the second line and leave him, and next day we went back to our old lines. He was dying when we left him.' Second statement, 4407 Pte G.H. BUCKLEY, 54th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 20 September 1916: 'He was killed getting into the German trenches, near Fleurbaix. I saw his body, know him well, but I cannot say how he was killed, shell, shrapnel, or bomb or bullet.' Third statement: 4128 H.R. ARNOLD, 54th Bn (patient, Northants War Hospital, Duston, England), 22 August 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19th at Fleurbaix he saw Dibben and a man named Richardson who was reported killed, lying together out in front of them and he was told by Pte. Cleary, 54th A.I.F., that they were both dead.' 'The above name appeared on German death list dated 4-11-16.' 'Identity disc received from Germany and despatched to Next of Kin 11.5.17.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 10), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France. |
| Miscellaneous details | Mother's address subsequently Shornhill Green, Buckland Newton, Dorset, England; Sister's address (1917): Miss Mabel DIBBEN, 3 Canal, Salisbury, Wilts, England; then Bookham, Piddletrenthide, Dorset, England; Brother, Mr John Dibben, Fernhill, Hastings, New Zealand |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, DIBBEN Edwin Henry
Red Cross file 920103 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
