Genealogical war memorials for Bournemouth’s fallen
Battle of Sahil: November 17th, 1914
Introduction
Tales from the Front (23) tells the story of Thomas Avey Dix, a native of Victorian Bournemouth, who fought in the Great War. A professional soldier, he served with the 2nd Dorsets in India before coming with them to invade Mesopotamia (Iraq) in 1914. The official records list Private Dix’s demise as November 19th, two days after the expeditionary force won a significant victory at Sahil.
Tales from the Front (23): Part 1
Escape the past
Mystery floats over Dix’s family, perhaps scandal. In his youth, his father used the name ‘Thomas Avey’. The combined surname ‘Avey Dix’ first appears in 1890 on a certificate of marine qualification for Master of a Home Trade passenger ship. He claimed his new title of ‘master mariner’ with an undeniable ring of pride, a world away from his childhood spent in the grim poverty of the workhouse. This situation suggests that his father, once a pilot, had fallen on hard times. On Monday, April 10th 1871, after giving him breakfast, the staff at East London’s Limehouse workhouse discharged Dix’s father. From here, he went to sea. This vast world offered anonymity, a fresh start, and an introduction to Empire. Such a haven attracted many young men who graduated from the workhouse. The new surname invites a question. Did a ‘Mr. Dix’ once befriend and aid the ambitious young sailor?
Tattoo
Dix’s father perhaps met his mother, born in Poole, through her brother, another mariner. Her origin may have drawn him to the south coast. He settled his new family in Parkstone, an adjunct to Bournemouth. When still a teenager, Dix lost his father. He may also have wanted to escape from distress, for he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Dorset Regiment and went with them to India in 1910. The cross-swords tattoo on his left forearm, noted at his enlistment, hints at a young man marking out his own identity. A scar on his left hip suggests a memorable injury. He passed the medical, but once in India, he experienced slight palpitations and trouble with his breathing. As often happened, he came up against military authority, displaying insolence and refusing to obey orders. After four years of military life and Pune’s bazaars, he began the last stage of his travels.
Tales from the Front (23): Part 2
The reasons why
As Dix and his comrades moved towards Sahil, they advanced within a wider imperial strategy. Britain entered Mesopotamia to protect the systems that sustained its power. First came communications. The telegraph cable linking India with London, which surfaced at the expedition’s landing site, Fao, required absolute security. Control of the Shatt‑al‑Arab ensured uninterrupted command of a component of tight imperial control. Oil added a second motive. The Royal Navy had begun its shift from coal to oil, and the refinery at Abadan supplied the fuel on which future naval strength depended. Protecting this resource meant safeguarding Britain’s maritime supremacy. The government had nationalised this private enterprise. A third concern involved Germany’s growing influence through the Baghdad Railway, planned to reach Basra. A completed line could have advanced German influence into the Gulf. By occupying southern Mesopotamia, Britain aimed to block these threats and secure communications, energy, and regional dominance.
Tales from the Front (23): Part 3
The sad day
For Dix and the Dorsets, strategy meant little beside the mud, cold, and danger of Sahil. Here, they achieved victory on November 17th despite appalling conditions and difficult terrain. Ankle-deep, slippery mud clung to their legs, preventing a rapid advance. The terrain consisted of date palms and thick scrub, scattered over water channels and their banks. The Turkish and Arab positions also proved difficult, subjecting the battalion to crossfire. Before long, however, the Turks, supported by Arabs, abandoned their stronghold, an old fort, and left the field. The British built a camp beside the Shatt-al-Arab, but difficulties persisted. The cold wind prevented them from sleeping that night. They had no greatcoats, blankets, or cooking equipment. Despite the enemy’s withdrawal, danger remained. They remained uncertain about the Arabs, some of whom tended to snipe at night. Much of this lay beyond Dix, wounded in the battle, lingering for just two days.
Aftermath
Back home in Dorset, his widowed mother—who had already buried an eleven-year-old daughter in 1904—worked as a sick nurse to keep her remaining family afloat. Her resilience allowed Tom’s brother to attend boarding school and later find success as a mechanic, leaving a comfortable estate in 1973—a quiet triumph of respectability long after the guns of Sahil fell silent.
Three days after Dix’s passing, ‘a long and tiring march’ brought the British Indian force to Basra. They found the town empty of Turkish troops, the streets ‘ankle-deep in filth, offal and litter’. The ‘total absence of any sanitary system or method and the presence of numerous disease-ridden brothels’ made the town unsuitable for billeting the troops. In December, several new officers arrived, former NCOs at other regiments. The CSM, a sergeant, and two privates received the DCM medal. The King sent a telegram to brighten Christmas.
Takeaway
Tales from the Front (23) has explored the life and military service of Tom Dix (1889-1914). He had travelled many miles in his short life, as had his father. From his birthplace of Parkstone, he had journeyed to India, a great adventure and a sea trip to continue the family tradition. After some years there, he undertook one more journey. The invasion of Mesopotamia brought him to another ancient civilisation—one he would never leave. Wounded at the successful but bloody battle of Sahil, he survived for just two days before succumbing to his injuries.
‘Tales from the Front’
A collection of personal stories honouring Bournemouth’s natives who lost their lives on the battlefield and the regiments with which they served. Combining social and military history with genealogical insights, it examines their roots, families, occupations, and the sacrifices they made for their country. Set against the backdrop of regimental war diaries and enriched by contemporary media accounts, the series provides a compelling and intimate portrait of Bournemouth’s wartime heroes — a mosaic of personal bravery within the broader scope of history. Serving as a companion and continuation to Victorian Bournemouth, ‘Tales from the Front’ is part of News from the Past: History for the Rest of Us.
References
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