Sir Collingwood Dickson

Some soldiers spend a lifetime chasing glory. General Sir Collingwood Dickson earned it on battlefields across Europe, from the mountains of Spain to the blood soaked trenches before Sebastopol. His courage under relentless enemy fire won him the Victoria Cross, while decades of distinguished service carried him to the highest ranks of the British Army.

Collingwood Dickson was born on 20 September 1817 at Cape Town in the Cape Colony, where his father, Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Dickson, was serving with the Royal Artillery. Following his father's military tradition, he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1835 and quickly found himself serving in the First Carlist War in Spain. His gallantry and leadership during the campaign earned him several prestigious Spanish honours, establishing an international reputation long before the Crimean War.

Dickson's greatest test came during the Crimean War. On 17 October 1854, during the bombardment of Sebastopol, he displayed exceptional bravery while commanding artillery under intense enemy fire. His conduct throughout the siege was recognised with the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry. The official citation, published in the London Gazette on 24 February 1857, praised his conspicuous courage and devotion to duty during the operations before Sebastopol.

His distinguished wartime service brought further recognition. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1855 and later advanced to Knight Commander in 1871 before receiving the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1884. His service in the Crimea also earned the Crimea Medal with the Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol clasps, together with the Turkish Crimea Medal. His achievements were recognised internationally through appointments to the French Legion of Honour, the Ottoman Order of the Medjidie, and several Spanish orders, including the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, the Royal and Military Order of San Fernando, and the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

Following the Crimean War, Dickson continued to rise through the senior ranks of the British Army. He commanded Royal Artillery formations, served as Inspector General of Artillery, became Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery, and was promoted to full General. Throughout his long career he was respected as both a capable commander and an experienced artillery officer whose service spanned more than half a century.

General Sir Collingwood Dickson died on 10 August 1904 at Eaton Square, London, aged 86. His Victoria Cross and medal group are preserved as part of the Royal Artillery's historic collection, serving as a lasting reminder of one of the regiment's most distinguished officers. His remarkable career combined exceptional battlefield courage with decades of dedicated military leadership, securing his place among the most honoured artillery officers of the Victorian era.