Sitrep 6 - Africa General Service Medal 1902-56 - East Africa 1904 - This scarce bar was awarded to members of the Irryeni (Iraini) Patrol under Capt. F.A. Dickinson (DCLI) - 1904 - against the Irryeni section of the Kikuyu tribe and the Embu tribe. EA Police Force and 3 KAR involved.

Police - In 1904 a Company of the 3rd KAR, under the command of Capt. F.A. Dickenson, together with a small detachment of the BEA Police was sent to subdue a minor revolt of the Embu, for which expedition the EA General Service Medal and bar (Embu, 1904) was authorized.

Kenya Diary - Feb. 1904 - 'I had a letter from Col. Harrison today telling me that Dickinson is coming here to command Brancker's and my company during the following expedition against the Irryeni. ....... I am not much impressed by Dickinson. He seems lazy. ...... 23rd Feb. - I got my orders today for the preliminary movement against the Irryeni. We operate from both Nyeri and Fort Hall. Humphery accompanies me as Political Officer. The orders are sketchy in the extreme, and Dickinson obviously does not intend to be worried too much about them. As far as I can see he intends to sit in Mrs Hinde's lap at Fort Hall most of the time and then adjourn for a shoot on the Tana - a pretty state of affairs for the commander of an expedition! But I foresee that I shall soon be in complete charge, as Dickinson understands not a bit of this form of warfare. That is obvious from his orders and has been confirmed by what he has told me. His last word to me this evening was, "Never mind my orders. Just you carry on and don't worry me too much. I'll back you up in anything you do."   

Borderland - 1904 - [Lt. H.A. Wilson] ...... after buffalo ... Captain Dickinson of the KAR ......... and I then joined forces. ..…

North - Land Grant application near Nairobi 11/1/1904; with military operation to Irryeni south of Mt. Kenya Feb-Mar 1904; resident at Ukamba & Western Province Headquarters, Ngong 30/9/1904; Public Officer's Game Licence, Seyidie Province 10/4/1905; due to dep. Mombasa for Europe on the ss Africa 12/8/1905, end of appt. 11/12/1905; d. 11/4/1915

Sportsmen - Major F.A. Dickinson, of The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, son of Mr Arthur Dickinson, of Somerset, was born on February 5th 1874, and educated at Charterhouse and the RMC Sandhurst. Gazetted to his regiment in 1894, he went to India 2 years later, and from that time onward most of his service has been abroad. In 1897-8 he took part in the operations of the NW Frontier, India, with the Tirah Expeditionary Force, for which he received the medal and 2 clasps. From 1901-3 he served in East Africa, and saw much fighting in Somaliland, where he was severely wounded. Major Dickinson was twice mentioned in despatches, and received the medal and clasp. A year later he again saw active service in East Africa, where he was in command and was again mentioned in despatches. From 1908-12 he was attached to the Egyptian Army, and was present at the fighting on the Abyssinian boundary, after which he rejoined his regiment at Hong Kong. Other special service includes the Anglo-German Boundary Commission, and he also commanded the escort for the Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill when, as Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, he went on a trip from Lake Victoria to Khartoum. While stationed abroad Major Dickinson played a great deal of polo; he has played in India, Gibraltar and Omdurman. A keen judge and lover of pony racing, he has raced in East Africa, Gibraltar, Khartoum and Hong Kong, and in all these districts has acted as steward. Pig-sticking has been followed at Morocco, while cover shooting at home and wildfowling in many lands have been varied by trout fishing, to which sport he is devoted. It is, however, as a big game hunter that Major Dickinsdon has found his chief interest. He has followed the sport with keen interest in all parts of the world, India, Somaliland, B.E. Africa, German East Africa, the Egyptian Soudan, Abyssinia and Southern China and has found excellent sport on the Tonquin border. Major Dickinson's collection of trophies is a very handsome one, containing amongst others, two magnificent specimens of the Fringe-Eared Beisa (oryx beisa callotis) bagged at Kilimanjaro.

North - Appt. Capt. Somaliland Field Force 1-12-1903; from Somaliland Field Force to Company Commander 3 KAR