The War Diaries do not tell us what Private Dixon is doing specifically. We have no idea what his role is. They only tell us where he was on a daily basis. And, as mentioned earlier, they don’t tell us about the conditions he is now experiencing in the field. We will come back to those gruesome details in a future post. For now we will get back to the war. Something unusual happens in early March. Just two days after relieving the 4th Battalion the 1st Battalion themselves are relieved by an Irish Battalion. Then the Battalion spends the next few days on the march in cold snowy weather. First from Bouvigny Huts to Hesdigneul, then on to Lapugnoy, the next day to Ruitz and one more day onto Estree Cauchy. What is going on? Why all this marching in March? And how is that right leg holding out Private Dixon? Are the troops needed somewhere urgently? Well it turns out they are. The Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden is there to inspect the troops- to motivate them – to better understand the war – as he has a tough decision to make about conscription back home. And of course there is the photo-op in the snowy field.
We assume Private Dixon is present. With the politicians out of the way the Battalion returns to some serious training in rapid deployment, Lewis guns, rifle grenadier training , special situations training , bombers training – everyone is is training-for something. The weather is improving, the snow is melting. Reorganization is happening. Recruits form the reserve battalion are being brought in. Yes something big is coming. And unbeknownst to Robert Dixon something very important is happening in Wimbledon England. His future daughter in law Mildred Stacey is born that March.