Died 16th September 1916
Date of Birth: June quarter 1893
Date of Death: 16th September 1916
Lionel St. Clair was the son of Dr. Alfred Ernest Christopher and Florence Janie Dickinson, of Grove House School, 53, South Grove, Highgate, London. He was living at that address with his family (father, mother, 14 year old sister Edith Gladys, 12 year old brother, Reginald Ernest Dickinson, 11 year old sister Elsie Vivienne, and 5 year old sister Kathleen Phyllis) in 1901.
In 1911 the family was living at Grove House School, 53 South Grove, Highgate. Lionel was working as a junior clerk for a foreign merchant. Lionel's father, Alfred Ernest Christopher Dickinson, was a 53 year old schoolmaster from Scarboro in Yorkshire. Lionel's 51 year old mother, Florence, was from Southampton. Lionel had 3 sisters, fashion artist Edith Gladys (24), Elsie Vivienne, and scholar Kathleen Phyllis. Also in the house, was Lionel's 80 year old grandmother, Emma Ann La Bois, an assistant schoolmaster, nine schoolboys and two servants.
Lionel St Clair served as a Signalling Officer with the 1st Battalion of the London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) during his unit's involvement in the offensive on the Somme in 1916. Lionel's set of semaphore signalling self-instruction cards, entitled 'Semaphore Signalling in a Week' (by Lt Col W J Younger, 4th Royal Scots) was made by George Waterson & Sons Ltd, Wholesale Stationers (Edinburgh and London) is held at the Imperial War Museum and can be seen online at: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30082351.
Service Details: 2nd Lieutenant – London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 1st Bn., Signalling Officer
Place of Death: Somme, FrancePlace of Burial: Combles Communal Cemetery Extension, grave reference VI. E. 6.
