Matthew Dixon (British Army officer)

He dug out a buried gun and restored fire after an explosion

Matthew Charles Dixon was born at Avranches, France, on 5 February 1821, into a military family. He trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in March 1839. Promotions to lieutenant and captain followed before the Crimean War took him to the siege of Sebastopol.

On 17 April 1855, his battery suffered a devastating explosion during the bombardment. Ten men became casualties, five guns were disabled and the remaining gun was buried. Dixon set to work to recover the surviving weapon and restore it to action rather than allow the battery's fire to cease.

He helped clear the debris and brought the gun back into use. The battery continued firing until sunset despite the destruction around it. His action combined personal exposure to danger with the practical work needed to keep an artillery position effective. The Victoria Cross was announced in February 1857.

His Crimean service also brought recognition from Britain's allies, including the French Legion of Honour and the Ottoman Order of the Medjidie. He became a Companion of the Order of the Bath. These decorations accompanied the British and Turkish campaign medals in his surviving group.

Dixon married Henrietta Bosanquet at Enfield in May 1862. He continued his artillery career, reached colonel's rank and retired in March 1869 with the honorary rank of major-general. He spent his later years in England. He died at Pembury, Kent, in January 1905 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London. His preserved medal group records both the artillery action at Sebastopol and the wider allied recognition of his service.

Official Victoria Cross citation

On the 17th April, 1855, about 2 P.M., when the battery he commanded was blown up by a shell from the enemy, which burst in the Magazine, destroyed the parapets, killed and wounded ten men, disabled five guns, and covered a sixth with earth; for most gallantly re-opening fire with the remaining gun before the enemy had ceased cheering from their parapets (on which they had mounted) and fighting it until sunset, despite the heavy concentrated fire of the enemy’s batteries, and the ruined state of his own.

Supplement to The London Gazette of 24 February 1857. 24 February 1857, Numb. 21971, p. 655