Military History

Embarked per HMAT 'Ceramic' for Egypt 23.11.1915.
Roll Rank Major.
Roll Unit 6th Field Company Engineers.

 Pidgeon received his appointment as Major of the Field Engineers in September 1913 (Sunday Times14.9.1913 p1)
Military History
Pidgeon disembarked with the 6th Field Company Engineers (FCE) at Suez January 1916. He served 3 months in Egypt. Pidgeon joined the BEF at Alexandria and embarked per ‘City of Edinburgh’ for France 19.3.1916. He disembarked with his Unit at Marseilles 27.3.1916. Pidgeon transferred from France to FCE Base in England 12.8.1918. He was taken on strength at the Engineers Training Depot AIF Salisbury Plains, Wiltshire, as CO 17.8.1916. Pidgeon received word from Australia that his wife was stricken with TB and confined to her home with 3 children (8 years – 18 years) at home. Pidgeon wrote to Headquarters at 5th Military District, requesting permission to return to Australia for family reasons. He was granted permission to return 23.10 1916.
Embarked Plymouth per HT ‘Nestor’ for Australia 26.12.1916.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 9.3.1917.
Appointment Terminated 7.8.1917 for family reasons.
Final Rank Major, 6th Field Coy. 2nd Division Engineers.
Medical Condition NK
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Major Pidgeon died in1920 aged 61years after discharge at his home at 18 Storthes St. Mt Lawley. He had suffered a period of unspecified ill health. Pidgeon held the position of Deputy Chief Engineer and District Engineer of Perth, he was later Assistant Engineer to the Lands Commisioner.(Albany Advertiser 24.11.1920 p3) His son Ivan William was killed in France in 1917 (Daily News 22.11.1920). His wife constance who had suffered from TB, necessitaing his early return, died 2tears after Pidgeon in 1921 (Daily News 31.7.1922 p8). The Pidgeon family had important engineering connection is WA (Pidgeon's father-in-law was G Knight, an engineer of the Great Southern Railway)
Photos  Major J. Pidgeon. Photograph source Sunday Times 28.11.1920 p1
              HMAT 'Ceramic'. Photographer Josiah Barnes , photograph source AWM PB0284A 
              Engineers constructing a jetty at Ferry Post, Ismailia 1916.  Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM P0098.008
              HMAT 'Nestor' A 73. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph source AWM PB 060

Information Source
Albany Advertiser
AWM P0098.008. Engineers constructing a jetty at Ferry Post, Ismailia 1916.  Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM PB 060. HMAT 'Nestor' A 73. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll- John Pidgeon
Daily News
NAA: B2455, Pidgeon John
St Matthew’s Honour Roll
Sunday Times
Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories

‘Caversham House’, near Guildford, WA.
Stirling Street, Bunbury, WA.

Associated Images