TOPIC:

Two memorial cottage homes at 63 & 65 Heath Road, Lexden, Colchester, Essex CO3 4DJ. (Formerly known as 11 & 12 Cross Road, as well as R A Dillon Home and R A Cottage.)

One built in memory of HRH Prince Christian Victor and the officers and men of the Royal Artillery and the other in memory of Lieut. Charles Henry Dillon, 1st Battalion (Prince Consort's Own) Rifle Brigade.

Mentioned in Gildea (p150 & 151) as an example of a memorial cottage home with funds provided (amongst others) from the Memorial Committee, as well as a private memorial cottage home funded by Col. the Hon. Robert Villiers Dillon and Mrs Dillon (nee Gladstone) in memory of their son.

Two bedroom, semi-detached cottages, designed by A Ainsworth-Hunt Architect and built in 1904 by R Beaumont. (I understand that the bronze plaque inscribed: "This Cottage Was Founded by The Royal Artillery 1904 In Memoriam H H Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig- Holstein" is still affixed to an internal wall in one of the cottages.)

Lieutenant Charles Henry Dillon. Baptised on 30 Sep 1877, Beckenham, Kent. Educated at Eton College, Berkshire. Commissioned into the Rifle Brigade on 16 Feb 1898. Promoted to Lieutenant January 1900. Deployed with his battalion to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War. Served as part of the 4th Brigade under Major Gen. Hon. N G Lyttelton, part of the Ladysmith relief force. Fought at Colenso on 15 Dec 1899 and at Vaal Krantz on 5-6 Feb1900. Lieut. Dillon was placed on special service with the Rhodesian Field Force from March 1900, and was mentioned in the despatch of General Lord Kitchener of July 28th, 1901 - when "in command of some scouts showed great skill in extricating his men from a very difficult position", and as ADC to Colonel Grey frequently rendered most "plucky and valuable service". He was wounded in action at Blesbokspruit and died of his wounds in 17 General Hospital, Standerton aged 23 years. Buried in Standerton Garden Of Remembrance, Standerton, Gert Sibande District Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa and commemorated on the Eton College Boer War memorial board in the Eton College Chapel.

1911 Census: Leonard George Baker, army pensioner, b.1862, Sheerness, Kent. Living with wife and daughter at R A Dillon Home, Cross Road, Lexden. Enlisted for Royal Artillery 25 April 1883 (No. 37520) discharged 23 May 1904, re-enlisted 2 October 1914 (No. 3760) discharged 23 June 1916 (no longer physically for war service), character on discharge, exemplary. Promoted to Sergt. Major 11 October 1904. Medals and decorations: Suakin – Egyptian with clasp 1885, Khedive Star 1885, QSA 3 clasps 1899, 1902, KSA 2 clasps 1899-1902, Distinguished Conduct Medal in the Field 1899-1902, Good Conduct Medal 1 October 1901. Application made for Meritorious Service Medal. Employed as an Orderly Room Clerk at Hd. Qrs in August 1917. Enlisted Royal Garrison Artillery 1917, service No. 3760. (Attested as a gunner in October 1914, discharged July 1916 no longer physically fit for war service. Address then given as 12 Cross Street, Lexden.

1911 Census: John Chappell, b. Normanton, Nottinghamshire 1850. Army pensioner. Living with wife and daughter at R A Cottage, Lexden. (John Chappell Rifle Brigade rather than Royal Artillery?)

1921 Census: Leonard George Baker, widower and employed as a clerk, b. Sherness. Living at Dillon House, Cross Road, Lexden . John Chappell (army pensioner) + wife living at 11 Cross Road, Lexden.

Jumping back to the Royal Warwicks Memorial Cottages in Budbrooke.

I had assumed these cottages were allocated to men who had a permanent disability but Frederick Charles Rowe, the first occupant of No.2, rather blew that out the water by going on to serve in the Great War.

By 1950 to qualify for residence you only needed to have served in the South African War of 1899-1902 as shown by this "advert" which appeared in the Rugby Advertiser of 3 February 1950.



Of course by 1950 any veteran of the South African War of 1899-1902 would have at least been in their late sixties.

I have found two similarly worded "adverts", firstly in June 1953 when No.1 had again become vacant and secondly in January 1958 when No.2 had become vacant. In 1958 alongside "Rent Free" it also said "unfurnished".


In the meantime I have assessed the life and times of Alfred Meeking the 1911 occupant of No.2, As his story has some added interest and my write-up became so long I have posted it on a stand-alone basis.

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/11-research/3...ving-memorial#101713